


Gust of the Heart

by AthenaGC94



Series: Gust of the Heart [1]
Category: My Time At Portia (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Blow Jobs, Cunnilingus, F/M, Fluff, Gust isn't as put together as we think, It's about building a relationship and opening up about your insecurities y'all, Oral Sex, Personal Growth, Smut, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:08:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 39,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24423280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AthenaGC94/pseuds/AthenaGC94
Summary: Gust thought he'd be traveling the Free Cities and building amazing structures, but four years since coming back to Portia, he's still designing the same bland structures for his bland hometown.  It isn't until the newest builder, Piper, arrives at A&G requesting an addition to her workshop that Gust feels like someone recognizes his vision and talent.  Could Piper be the key to making Gust's dreams a reality?
Relationships: Albert/Sonia (My Time At Portia), Builder/Gust (My Time At Portia), Female Builder/Gust (My Time At Portia), Phyllis/Sam (My Time At Portia)
Series: Gust of the Heart [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2004490
Comments: 40
Kudos: 116





	1. Beginnings

As a younger man, Gust dreamed of making his mark on history. He planned on traveling across the Free Cities, designing important structures for important people. Several years ago, he’d fled to Atara to chase those dreams. He lived the fast paced life of a bustling city. He’d studied under his mentor Vera for years. When he graduated, he was ready to take on the world as the next Master Architect. If Gust could smack his younger self upside the head, he would. Because that kid was a naive fool.

When he and Albert discussed the possibility of forming their own business, he didn’t plan on setting up shop in his hometown of Portia. However, his sister’s health started to decline and, as it does, life happened. Now, here he was, four years later with nothing to show for it. He spent his days hunched over a drafting table, designing bland buildings for the bland people living in this bland town. It wasn’t the life he had hoped for, but it was his reality. His grip tightened on his pencil as he dragged it across the page. The latest rendition of the South Bridge was beginning to take shape. It wasn’t his first crack at the design and he doubted it would be his last. His design process followed a similar pattern these days. He’d create an inspired concept, the client would see it, they would hate it, and he’d be back at square one. Wash, rinse, repeat. 

His father always said Portia was a frontier town and that they would develop it into something great. Gust clucked his tongue irritably. The longer he worked in Portia, the less he believed it. How did one develop a town full of people that feared the very concept of change?

“Good morning!”

The front door jingled. Gust set his pencil aside and turned around. Portia’s newest builder, Piper, stood just inside the door, hands stuffed in the front pockets of her grease stained coveralls. She didn’t seem to notice him right away, in fact, she didn’t spare the loft above a single glance as she searched the lower level. “Albert?” She disappeared out of sight, “you here?” Gust pursed his lips and stood up. Albert was usually on top of helping customers. He rarely did any filing in the back rooms during office hours. Albert would never miss out on helping one of Portia’s eligible bachelorettes. He peered over the railing curiously. His desk looked like it hadn’t been touched. The usual mess of work orders and commission forms were stacked neatly on either side of his desk and his chair tucked in place. Now that he thought about it, he never heard Albert come in this morning. He racked his brain. They’d left the office together yesterday. They were discussing the latest commissions they needed for the bridge when they bumped into his father. Gust groaned. That’s right. Albert was meeting with his father and Mint this morning to go over the budget for the project. He would be gone until after lunch.

“Albert?”

“Albert is meeting with my father this morning.”

He heard a gasp and the builder reappeared under him. He watched as several emotions played on her face. It was like flipping through a book. Surprise quickly turned to realization, which immediately became disappointment. He sighed. Yeah, he tended to have that effect on people. “He won’t be back until this afternoon.”

Piper glanced down at her watch and made a face. “Can you help me then?”

Gust blinked, taken aback. Most people never asked him to help. If a customer came in while Albert was out, they’d quickly apologize and came back later. To them, Albert was the brains of the operation. Gust was just there to be pretty and make things pretty, which was a fair assumption now that he thought about it. Regardless, it wasn’t true. Gust was knowledgeable enough about the inner workings of A&G. But the people of Portia didn’t need to know that, if they did, he’d be expected to help them. So he never corrected their assumptions. Apparently, no one had bothered to inform Piper.

He rolled his eyes and turned away from the banister. He may as well help her. The sooner he did, the sooner he could get back to work. He smoothed the lapel of his coat as he meandered down the stairs and towards Albert’s desk. If he remembered correctly, Albert kept the blank work orders in the bottom left hand drawer. He rummaged through the drawer, pulled out a blank order and took a seat.

Piper hadn’t moved. She stared at him, dumbfounded, though he couldn’t imagine why. Was she surprised to see him willing to help? Should he be insulted right now? He pursed his lips. A moment passed, then another, and she still didn’t move. He tapped the nib of his pen impatiently on the desktop. After another moment of tense silence, he cleared his throat. “Well?” 

Piper shook herself from her stupor. “Iー” she cleared her throat, “I’m looking to add an extension to my workshop.” She bounced on the balls of her feet. “I’m tired of sleeping where I work, ya know?”

Gust didn’t know the feeling, so he chose not to respond. He tried to ignore the awkward silence that had settled between them and made quick work of filling out the form. It was easy information. The initial consultation was always easy. His real work began when he started conceptualizing. It was his favorite part of the process, but recently, it had also become the most draining. He could see it now. He’d design the new addition. The builder would want something less aesthetic and more functional. He’d be disappointed and create the same thing he’s made for the last four years.

“Alright, I’m going to needー” The rest of the sentence died on his lips. Piper was gone. He peered around the room and found her examining the model he’d left on one of the displays. His stomach lurched. He’d spent weeks designing that model for a competition for the Vincent Design Institute. The results had come back earlier this week. They had been less than satisfactory. He swallowed thickly. He would have thrown it out already, but Ginger had insisted he keep it. She didn’t want his hard work going to waste.

Piper peered a little closer. Scrutinizing it. Picking apart every flaw, just like the judges had. His grip tightened on his pen. Just like he had since the results had come out. He pushed himself out of his seat and approached her. 

“Are you done snooping around?”

Piper jumped away from the model. He met her sheepish gaze evenly as he crossed his arms. “Sorry,” she gestured to the model, “I was just admiring this. It’s really well made.”

Gust felt the heat flood into his cheeks. Pride swelled in his chest as he let his arms fall to his sides. At least someone seemed to notice its quality. “Well, thank you,” he said curtly, “I guess.”

Piper gaped. “Is this your design?”

He scoffed, “well, obviously.” He brushed past her and approached his model. He’d drawn inspiration from the logic cube Ginger sometimes played with. It was a boxy structure made up of three stories. Every level was skewed on a central axis to give it a unique shape. He’d used lots of windows and skylights to draw on natural light. “It was for a competition I entered last month,” He ran his finger along the edge of the top most story. Dust was already beginning to collect on its surface. “I didn’t win,” he continued bitterly, “they said it was too strange. They didn’t understand _my vision._ The crotchety old fools.”

Piper tilted her head to the side. “Well, those guys have no taste.” She knelt in front of the design and peered through one of its windows. “It’s so interesting. I’d love to see it full scale. It would be breathtaking.”

Gust narrowed his eyes and searched her face. She had to be messing with him. The people in Portia didn’t like his designs. She was tracing the angles of his design with his eyes. She wore a sincere, almost dreamy, smile as she examined his work. He stared a little longer before giving up. She genuinely liked it. The mere notion made his heart flutter in his chest.

“Have you studied architecture?”

Piper snorted. “Well, no,” she admitted as she stood back up, “but I’m a builder, so I make things for a living. Sometimes I like to admire the handiwork of others. Especially when they’re this talented.” She stuffed her hands back in her pockets and took a step back. “You think differently and I like that.”

“Unfortunately,” Gust regarded his model with a look of disdain, “you seem to be the only one who shares in that sentiment.”

She gave him a sympathetic smile. “It’s a shame they didn’t appreciate your design,” she was bouncing on the balls of her feet again, “If it makes you feel any better, I would have scored it well.”

Gust would be lying if he said it didn’t. It felt good to know that someone appreciated his work. His real work, not just the stuff he made to satisfy the town. He didn’t really have a lot of support in his creative endeavors. There was Albert of course, but he was more practical about these things. He did what had to be done to make money. Whatever made the client happy, he would do without question. His sister tried to show her support, but she lived a sheltered life and she didn’t quite understand his late night tirades about parapets and gables. Piper was a builder. She understood construction and aesthetics to some degree. The materials he’d used to create this model had been given to him by his father. A halfhearted attempt to show his support, but the materials came from somewhere. Had she been the one to provide them?

Gust’s breath hitched. “Those materials my father got me,” he began slowly, “they came from you didn’t they?”

Piper shrugged. “Your father asked me to lend a hand. I was more than happy to help.”

“You sure like to be nosy, don’t you?” He tried to sound irritated as he brushed past her, but he couldn’t stop the smile that curved on his lips. The room had gotten significantly warmer. His heart was hammering so loud, he was afraid Piper would be able to hear it. He pressed a hand firmly to his chest and cleared his throat. “Now,” he slid back into his seat, “come over here and sign this. You’re wasting my time.”

“You’re not the only one with things to do.”

“Then do us both a favor and get over here.”

Piper didn’t argue and took the seat across from him. “Sign here, here, and here” He punctuated each word with the tip of his pen. “This is just the initial work order, so Albert will touch base with you later to go over the details.” He handed her the pen and shifted back in his chair.

As she read through the fine print, Gust gaze wandered back to the model across the room. He’d spent the last few days despairing over its imperfections. If only he’d made the angles a little cleaner, or if he’d spent a little more time conceptualizing, maybe then the judges would have liked it. He was nursing a big blow to his ego. He had even begun to doubt his abilities as an architect. Maybe he wasn’t as good as he thought he was. _It would be breathtaking._ Her words resonated with him. He had thought the exact same thing when he drafted the first renditions. It would be nice to see it come to life. 

“Is that all you need from me?”

Gust tore his gaze away from the model. Piper fidgeted in her seat. She really didn’t like sitting still, did she? “That’ll be all for now.” He picked up the order form and placed it in Albert’s pile off to the side. “I’ll begin drafting some concepts for you addition. When I’m done, Albert will bring them your way for review.”

“Ooo, a Gust original for my addition,” she beamed at him, “I can’t wait to see what you come up with.”

Gust gave her a thin smile and he hid his twitching fingers in his lap. He could feel the thrill of inspiration course through his veins. He was itching to get started. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

“I’ll try not to,” she winked and slipped out of her seat, “but I should really get going, so I’ll leave you to it. Thanks for your help.” She offered him a small wave. Gust watched her go, offering no farewell in return. She didn’t wait for one. Without another word, she slipped through the door and out into the plaza. The door jingled after her. Gust was out of his seat in a flash and making a beeline for the model. He scooped it up in his arms and hurried up the stairs to his drafting table. Several ideas were already floating around in his head. He hadn’t been this excited about a project in awhile. He sat down at his table with renewed vigor and got straight to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Gust of the Heart. Where the updates are irregular. Will you get three chapters in a row or nothing for a few weeks. Who knows? I apologize. But please enjoy. Please check out my other MTAP content on tumblr: robingoodfellow94.tumblr.com


	2. Pushing Boundaries

The scratching of Gust’s pencil immediately stopped when he heard Albert slip back into the office. He glanced over at the clock on the wall. It hadn’t even been twenty minutes since he left and the walk to Pipes & Bricks Shop was at least half of that time. Normally, Albert’s consultations lasted for at least an hour, if not more.

“Back so soon?” He leaned back in his seat and stretched his arms over his head. His back cracked and popped in response. With a groan, he spun in his chair and peered over the banister. Albert shuffled through some files on his desk. “Was she not home?”

“No, she was home,” Albert said as he reread a commission proposal, “but there wasn’t much to discuss. She loved the design you came up with.”

Gust’s stomach did a somersault. “Wait, she did?”

“I know, I was surprised too.” Albert hid a teasing grin behind his hand. Gust ignored him and crept closer to the edge of the loft. Albert continued after a moment, “she was adamant that she didn’t want any changes.” A giddy feeling bubbled in the pit of his stomach now. Piper liked it. His real work would see the light of day in Portia. The thought made his head spin. “I don’t know what you two talked about today, but she seemed pretty excited about the addition. More than necessary if you ask me.”

“Well, I didn’t ask you.”

Albert arched his eyebrow at him. “Then what did you two talk about?”

“We discussed my entry for the Vincent Design competition. Nothing more.”

“Right, right.” Albert set a few finished orders aside, only to replace them with a new stack. “And after that conversation, you just so happened to create a similar design for her, just because, right?” He shot Gust a knowing look. Gust didn’t respond. On the one hand, he didn’t want Albert thinking he _liked_ the builder, because he knew that was exactly what was being implied right now. He didn’t like Piper. That much was clear. He didn’t even know her. They’d exchanged more words this morning than they had since she arrived nine months ago.

“Oh, don’t sulk. It’s alright to admit she stroked your ego a bit,” there was a teasing lilt in his tone, “I bet it felt nice to have someone like your ideas for once.”

“People like my work,” Gust insisted with a sniff, “if they didn’t A&G wouldn’t get any business.”

Albert chuckled. “You know what I mean,” he said, “It’s draining, having your work constantly picked apart by clients. I get it. But you can rest easy, my friend.” He winked up at Gust. “This one is all you. Pipes wanted a Gust original.” The tips of Gust’s ears burned. _A Gust original._ Piper had said the same thing when she left. It brought a smile to his face.

He didn’t know Piper. He didn’t necessarily want to know Piper either. However, in their brief interactions and through his sparing observations, he knew she was relatively laid back. She took things in stride. Every commission thrown her way was taken with a smile. She’d been thrown in more than a few dangerous situations since arriving in Portia. People expressed their concerns, but she brushed them off with a laugh. Even Higgins’ incessant gloating didn’t seem to faze her. She was climbing the ranks as a builder, but she didn’t seem to care about being the best. She was content with just being. In short, she excelled at not giving a damn about anything. He could use this to his advantage and have a little fun.

“Hey Albert?” The dark haired man hummed in response, eyes still on the form in his hands. “Do you think the builder would mind if we used a mix of marble, igneous brick, and ironwood for her extension?” 

↢↢↢↣↣↣

“You’re in a good mood.” Ginger gave Gust one of her demure smiles as he stirred honey into his afternoon tea. “You only use sweeteners when you aren’t feeling bitter.” Gust ignored the petty jab at his temperament and drizzled a little more honey into his cup. It sank to the bottom of the amber liquid like glue. “What’s the occasion?”

“No occasion.”

Ginger rolled her eyes. “Of course,” she turned her attention back to the book in her hands, “It’s just I haven’t seen you use sweetener since Django commissioned you for a painting for the Round Table last year. You were happy back then too.” She shrugged. “But that’s none of my business.”

Gust hummed. “You’re right. It isn’t any of your business.”

Ginger didn’t respond, but he felt the smug energy that rolled off her in waves. She always basked in the knowledge of knowing she was right. She simply waited. They both knew he’d cave eventually and tell her why he was in a good mood. He couldn’t keep things from her for very long. So naturally, he found himself continuing. “But if you must know.” Ginger smirked. “If you must know, things are going well with the builder’s new addition to her workshop.” He took a tentative sip of his tea and grimaced. Maybe he’d added a little too much honey.

“I’m glad Piper’s letting you run wild with your creativity,” her expression softened, “I haven’t seen you have this much fun in awhile. It’s nice to see.”

“It is fun.”

It had been a few weeks since Piper had come to A&G seeking the expansion of her workshop. He tested the waters early on in the project. She’d willingly accepted the suggestion of using the strange combination of materials. She even provided some of the materials herself. So he got bolder. He pushed the boundaries of his design, but that didn’t faze her. She never pushed back. Like commissions, Piper took each new suggestion with a smile and a nod.

These days, Piper stopped by A&G more and more often. The construction for the South Bridge was underway and Piper was a main player in the preparations. She’d have a new batch of materials for them each morning. Normally, she’d spend her time chatting idly with Albert. He’d flirt with her shamelessly. She’d deflect it with a social grace he didn’t know she had. It was almost amusing to watch him flounder. She never used to venture upstairs, but these days she’d wander over to take a look at his latest designs.

At first, Gust tried to brush her off. He hated being interrupted. It ruined his creative flow. Despite his clipped responses, Piper kept coming back. She asked questions and Gust found himself responding more often. She listened to his tangents and seemed genuinely interested. When he would start a new project, he’d find himself wondering what Piper would think about it. A giddy excitement fluttered in his chest when he thought about showing her his latest work. It was more thought than he’d ever given her before, and he wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

“Gust?”

Ginger was looking at him now, concern laced on her knitted brow. How long had she been talking? He wasn’t quite sure when he had stopped listening. “Did you hear what I asked?”

“Honestly? No, I got swept off in thought again,” he admitted sheepishly, “can you repeat your question?”

Ginger shook her head. “You and your daydreaming.” She chuckled. “Would you be willing to bring my birthday present for Albert with you this evening? Dr. Xu said I shouldn’t be venturing into crowds right now. The excitement is too much for me, or something.” She gestured to the book in her hands. “He went through the trouble to get me this book, so I want to make sure he gets a gift in kind.” The book was bound in pink leather. Gust recognized the title. _Journey to the East._ She mentioned wanting a copy some time ago. He had planned on looking for it when he traveled to Atara in a few months. He pursed his lips. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Albert giving his sister gifts without telling him, but he’d dwell on _that_ later.

“I can bring it with me. I only plan on staying for a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” she gave him a grateful smile, “but feel free to stay as long as you’d like tonight. It’s your friend’s birthday, go have some fun. I’ll be fine with Uncle Russo.”

He waved her off. “Albert doesn’t need me to have fun. He has the ladies of Portia to keep him company,” he took another sip of his tea, “He won’t even notice I’m gone.”

Ginger huffed. “I think you should give Albert a little more credit. He’s your friend after all. I’m sure he’d be thrilled to have you celebrate with him.”

“I also planned on working on some of the pieces for our exhibition in Atara. There’s still a lot to do.”

Ginger rolled her eyes. “Well, when you put it that way, I think celebrating your friend is more important,” her expression hardened, “The exhibition is months away and I’ve seen you roll out masterpieces in less time. That’s no excuse to skip his party.” She pursed her lips at him and for a moment he swore he was looking in a mirror. The sheer contempt in her expression was uncanny. “You’re going to the Round Table tonight and I don’t want you back until after midnight.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be telling me to be back before midnight?”

“That’s not really a punishment for you, now is it?” She arched a knowing eyebrow at him. “You’d be thrilled if I gave you a curfew. You’d use it as an excuse to never see people again and I can’t let that happen. You have the freedom to go out and see people. I want you using it.” Gust winced. There was a brittle edge to his voice. She really wanted to go out this evening. He could see it in her eyes. 

He sighed. “I’ll stay out for at least an hour or two.”

She considered this. “Fine, I’ll agree to those terms. Just try and have some fun.” With a sniff, she returned to her book and the argument was closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking around. I appreciate the support. Hope you enjoyed! More nerdiness at my tumblr: robingoodfellow94.tumblr.com


	3. Birthday Surprises

The air was muggy when Gust ventured out that evening. Smothering. This is why Gust hated the summer. Everything was so damp. His clean button up was already sticking to his back as he made his way down to the lower part of town. He grimaced and tugged uncomfortably at his collar. The air conditioner at the Round Table was broken the last time he was there. Hopefully, Django had commissioned one of the builders to fix it. He couldn’t imagine how unbearably hot it would be without it. Music and laughter poured through the open windows of the Round Table as he approached. A sizable crowd was already milling about inside. He checked his watch. It was only seven and things were this rowdy. He stifled a small groan. The struggles he endured for his sister. He braced himself as he pushed through the doors and into the fray.

He saw Albert seated at the large table in the center of the room. People surrounded him from all sides and they all seemed to be talking at him at once. Gust grimaced. His desire to go home was growing and he’d just arrived. Albert looked up from his drink as Gust approached them and a wide smile broke out across his face. “Gust,” he exclaimed as he slipped out of his seat, “you finally made it.”

“You said the party started at seven,” he mumbled, “and it’s seven.” Albert slung his arm across his shoulders and pulled him close. He recognized the distinct flush in his cheeks and smelled the alcohol on his breath. Albert had already tucked a few drinks away at this point. Perfect.

“I’m just glad you made it.” His eye fell to the neatly wrapped present in Gust’s hand. “Did you get me another gift? I’m already wearing the new bow tie you got me.” He gestured to the floral printed fabric around his neck. “I think Sonia is feeling it.”  
Gust rolled his eyes and handed him the gift. “This is from Ginger. She wasn’t able to make it this evening.” Albert regarded the gift fondly. “She wanted me to wish you a happy birthday in her stead.”

“That sister of yours is really something. She knows how to make a man’s birthday special.” The muscles in Gust’s jaw tightened. He knew Albert was a bit of a womanizer. He’d accepted this about him years ago. Albert went through women like tissues. He was fickle and harmless. Still, Ginger was his sister and he felt the protective older brother in him kick into gear.

“Weren’t you just saying something about Sonia?”

Albert’s eyes brightened. “Yes, yes, I think she’s finally warming up to me. I might make a move this evening.” Gust relaxed. Good. He didn’t want to have that awkward conversation, not yet. “By the way, did you want a drink?”

Gust glanced at his watch. Five minutes past seven, only another fifty-five minutes to go before he could go home. “Sure,” he sighed, “it’ll be on me. Duvos punch, right?” Albert didn’t respond and Gust turned back to him. He was looking at Sonia, who waved him back over to the table. A sultry smile played on her lips and he watched Albert melt. Gust shook his head. “I’ll be back.” He didn’t wait for a response as he made his way to the bar.

He ordered his drinks, his fingers drummed along the bar top as he waited. A distinct laugh cut through the chatter and noise in the bar and Gust looked up. Across the room, Remington and Piper twirled to the music coming from the jukebox. Their steps were clumsy and off beat, but they appeared to be having fun. Gust cradled his cheek in the palm of his hand as he watched them. Piper’s hair was thrown up in her usual top knot and she was still wearing those god awful coveralls. Gust was sweating just looking at her, but the heat didn’t seem to bother her. Django cleared his throat behind him. He slid the drinks across the bar and Gust collected them. “Thanks.” He stepped away from the bar and headed back towards Albert. The dark haired man in question was currently huddled in a one on one with Sonia off to the side. The longer they spoke, the closer the pair got. Gust immediately backtracked, both glasses still in hand. Nope. He was not dealing with that this evening. 

He nabbed a spot near the end of the bar, away from the bustle of the crowd. He traced the lines in the woodwork as he nursed his drink. The party continued around him. Laughter, merriment, dancing, it should have been contagious, but the longer Gust sat sipping his drink the more alone he felt. No warm welcomes. No one approached him for a conversation. It was like he was witnessing the party through glass, but no one saw him on the other side. He swallowed the bitter taste that was forming in his mouth with another gulp of alcohol.

“Hey Gust.”

He glanced over his shoulder as Piper slid into the seat next to him. “When did you get here?” She wore a kind smile as she waved Django over. “And why are you sitting all alone? You should be with Albert.”

“Albert is too busy wooing Sonia in the corner,” Gust said around the rim of his glass, “I’d rather not get in the middle of that.” Piper glanced over at the pair in question. Sonia giggled as Albert’s finger danced up her arm. If possible, they’d gotten even closer.

“That man and his women,” she shook her head at them, “and just the other day he was asking me to get him a copy of _Journey to East_ for Ginger.”

Gust nearly spat out his drink. “He what?!?”

Piper slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oops, I don’t think I was supposed to say anything,” she chuckled, “I forget you two are related sometimes, you’re nothing alike.” Gust scoffed. Oh, they were a lot more alike than people gave them credit for. Ginger was a force to reckon with when she was in a bad mood. It made his usual temperament look amicable by comparison. “But I’m sorry about that. I guess I should have asked you about it first.”

“Whatever,” he took another sip of his drink, “I’ll just tell her the book actually came from you.”

“Oh, don’t do that,” Piper pouted at him, “I just managed to get my hand on a copy. It was Albert who wanted to get her something. I just helped, that’s all.” Gust rolled his eyes. Just like she’d helped his father gather the materials for his competition. She just loved helping people, didn’t she? “I don’t want to get involved.”

“Well, you should have thought about that when you gave him the book.”

“Probably,” she brushed off his sharp tone with a shrug, “but he asked for my help and I helped him. Next time, I’ll be sure to consult you before I do it. Don’t want to hook up your best friend and sister without your consent.” She shot him a teasing wink. Gust tried to hide the surprise on his face with a sneer, but her attention had shifted.

The Civil Corps brats congregated on the other side of the restaurant. Remington and Arlo were still swaying with the music, drinks in hand. Arlo chatted quietly with Nora, who appeared to hang on his every word. Whereas Remington chatted idly with Aadit. On the outskirts of the group, Sam was practicing her balancing act on one of the bar stools while Phyllis looked on with mild concern. The smile fell from Piper’s face “I think that’s my cue. I should head back over to them before Sam gets herself kicked out, again.” She chuckled and gathered her drink. “Did you want to join us? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dance.”

Gust sniffed and glanced down at his watch. Eight o’clock. Finally. “And you won’t.” He polished off the rest of his drink and pushed it away. The Duvos punch sat untouched on the bar. He grimaced. What a waste of gols. “I’m actually heading out.”

Piper looked taken aback. “Already?” She furrowed her brow at him. “But the party just started?”

“I’m a busy man, Piper,” Gust slid out of his seat, “I spend my time on the tasks I actually need to do. I don’t have time for such frivolous activities. I have more important things to worry about.” His shirt was still clinging uncomfortably to his back. 

Piper arched an eyebrow at him. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she spared him whatever lecture she had in store. A small, albeit amused, smile slid back across her face. “Well then, good luck with your important tasks.” She offered him a small wave. “But if you change your mind and decide to have some fun, you know where to find us.” And with that, she headed back towards the jukebox. He watched her tug Sam off the barstool with a shake of her head.

Gust clucked his tongue and pushed out of the restaurant and into the quiet streets. He shoved his hands into his pockets and headed towards Central Plaza. The night air was thick and damp and he found it hard to catch his breath, but he kept walking. He was on edge. He knew this would happen if he went to the party for longer than five minutes. Albert would get distracted by a skirt and he’d be left to his own devices. It's how these events always panned out for him. He could be alone in the comfort of his own home.

He paused at the foot of the Wishing Tree. He remembered the stories his mother used to tell him about the Wishing Tree when he was a kid. If you stood under its magic leaves, you could make a wish, and if the tree liked you it would come true. They were juvenile and overly simplistic tales. Even as a child, he’d rolled his eyes at the prospect. Still, as he stood there staring up at the canopy of leaves, he found himself closing his eyes.

He didn’t _make a wish_. That would be childish. He just hoped. He hoped that he could escape the monotony. The longer he stayed in Portia, the more apparent it came that he didn’t belong. This was no longer his home, it hadn’t been for a while. He’d come back to support his family and he planned on making good on that, but one day, he hoped to leave and return to Atara. He’d chase his dream again. One day.

↢↢↢↣↣↣

“Welcome back.” Gust hummed in response as he brushed past Albert’s desk. He’d just finished his birthday lunch with his family. Ginger had insisted they have lunch together. You don’t turn 28 everyday. What a silly justification. He had told her such. She told him he was boring. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard that. She then gave him one of her well-rehearsed pouts. So, naturally, they compromised and had lunch as a family.

It was bland and uneventful, as all their family meals were. His father and Mint were too engrossed in a conversation on Portia’s infrastructure to pay him any mind, which was the norm these days. Ginger gave Gust and Russo another update on Journey to the East. Gust feigned mild interest and spent the rest of the meal staring at his plate and holding his tongue.

“Did you have fun?”

Gust gave him a sour look. “What do you think?”

“Fair point.” Albert threw up his hands in defeat and turned back to his work. Gust busied himself with gathering some new drafting paper. He had a few ideas bouncing around in his head that he wanted to get down on paper before they disappeared. “By the way, Piper stopped by while you were out."

“Did she?” Gust tucked a few rolls of paper under his arm. She’d probably stopped by to deliver another round of materials for South Block. That girl was on top of her game. They were weeks ahead of schedule and she played a major role in that. Still, she was able to work on side commissions for the rest of the town. He was beginning to think his father was just throwing random projects at her, so the rest of them had time to catch up with her demand. “What did she want?”

“She dropped off a birthday present for you.”

Gust paused. A birthday present. For him? He’d never mentioned his birthday to her. “And how did she know when it was?” He glared evenly at Albert, who was making a point of looking anywhere but him.

“I may or may not have mentioned it at my party last week.”

Gust sighed. He wondered if that was before or after he made out with Sonia, then he remembered that he didn’t care. “I don’t need a pity gift from her,” he scoffed, “she didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Piper tries to give everyone a present on their birthday,” Gust could hear him roll his eyes. “So stop being a brat and come grab it before I eat it myself.” He gestured to the small parcel on his desk. Gust instantly recognized it. A take out box from the Round Table. He huffed and crossed the room, drafting paper forgotten, and took it. “Smells like she did her research.”

Gust clucked his tongue and made his way back up the stairs. A small note was taped to the top of the box. He recognized the A&G stationary. She must have written it here.

_Gust_

_Happy Birthday! Sorry I couldn’t be there to say it in person, but I’m a busy gal and ore isn’t going to mine itself (because someone just HAD to have aluminum for their South Block designs. Yes. I’m glaring at you right now, deal with it.) Anyway, try to make the most of your special day! I know Ginger was excited to spend it with you. You don’t strike me as a big party guy, but if you want to celebrate, you know where to find me!_

_Piper_

_P.S. Ginger also told me you didn’t like ice cream. Who doesn’t like ice cream, you monster?!? But hopefully, this tickles your fancy instead._

Gust snorted and flipped open the lid of the container. A slice of Django’s famous apple pie was placed neatly in the box with a fork. The familiar scent of apples and cinnamon lingered in the air. A small birthday candle had been unceremoniously stuffed in the crust. Gust smiled. That annoying giddy feeling was back. He wanted to hate the feeling, but a part of him had grown to like it, which he’d dwell on later.

He speared the tip of the pie with his fork and stuffed it in the mouth. The buttery crust melted on his tongue. He hummed contentedly, a warm fuzziness swelling in his chest. Apple pie always reminded him of his mother. It was her specialty when he was growing up. It was one of the few desserts he actually liked. Piper did do her research. He turned his attention back to his drafting table, fork still poking out between his lips.

He’d received only four gifts today. His father had left him a new set of paints on the kitchen table this morning with a hastily scrawled note wishing him a good birthday. Practical. Gust had been complaining about the fraying edge of his old umbrella, so Albert had a new one commissioned for him. Practical. His sister had given him a handmade necklace made of shells. Very her and he'd certainly wear it. And now Piper. Her gift wasn’t extravagant. Her gift wasn’t useful, but it provided him with something that the others hadn’t. A fond memory and a genuine smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for tuning in. Hopefully, I can keep updating regularly. I have quite a bit more material!


	4. Gifts and Realizations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the timing for these missions and the construction of certain buildings isn't 100% accurate, but I'm tweaking based on the story I need to tell. Additionally. I know that the brooch came from Walnut Grove, but let's pretend it came from Atara instead :) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

Gust wet his lips with his tongue as he peered closely between the canvas in front of him and the setting sun. It was quiet. The only sound around him was the lazy flow of the river beside him and the occasional grunt from QQ who snoozed at his feet. He brought his paintbrush to the canvas and added some purple where the sky met the water. The purple bled into a gradient of pink and orange that mirrored the sky overhead. He glanced back at the sunset. It was quickly disappearing on the horizon, so he didn’t have much time before it was dark. The pains of being a landscape artist. Time was rarely on his side and with autumn quickly approaching, the days were getting shorter.

“So is this one of those important tasks you were telling me about?”

Gust tore his eyes away from the canvas. Piper watched him curiously, hands placed firmly on her hips. Her fishing rod was strapped to her back and he smelled the distinct odor of marine life that often followed his father after a day of fishing. He wrinkled his nose at her and turned back to his canvas. “It is.”

“Oh really?” Her voice was closer now, but he didn’t look up. He was on a race against the clock. He wouldn’t indulge her, not this time. “Because this looks a lot like a frivolous activity if you ask me.”

“Well, I wasn’t asking you.”

She didn’t respond and he, for a brief moment, believed she had left. “So you’re a painter too?” Gust sighed heavily. He should have known better. Piper wasn’t perturbed by his temperament. She never backed down, she always came back, and Gust let her. It appears they both were gluttons for punishment. The rank stench of fish was stronger now as Piper regarded the painting over his shoulder. “This is beautiful,” she said, “but could you maybe save some talent for the rest of us?”

His lip curled. “I’m good because I practice,” he said firmly, “years in front of a canvas have led me to where I am today. I can’t rely on talent alone.” He mixed a little more pink in with the purple to soften the transition from one color to the next. “It’s not my fault if other’s fall short by comparison.”

“Light, you take everything so seriously.” 

“What can I say, I’m a straight shooter.” He heard her shuffling around behind him, but he still didn’t look at her. The sun was almost gone now. He didn’t have time to argue with her, but after a few moments, the sound of snuffling and squeals filled the air. Gust glanced down. QQ had disappeared from around his feet, but he could hazard a guess of where he’d gone to. A certain builder liked to slip him an aroma apple anytime she visited the office, so it wasn’t hard to put two and two together.

“Can you stop feeding QQ? He’s getting fat.”

Piper chuckled. “But he’s such a nice piggy. He deserves all the treats,” she cooed, “besides, I heard an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Why shouldn’t that apply to pigs as well?” Gust rolled his eyes and turned away from his easel. Piper sat in the grass as QQ inhaled the sliced apple she’d laid out in front of him. She scratched him affectionately behind the ear. “Such a good boy,” she continued, “You’re perfect, don’t listen to your grumpy owner.” She shot Gust a cheeky smile.

“Well, this grumpy owner is the one who has to deal with that stupid pig at the end of the day,” Gust snapped back, “so I think I know what’s best for him.”

“No offense, but you don’t really strike me as someone who would know or care how to take care of a pig,” she shot back, “you strike me as more of a cat person. They’re easy to look after, with a mild disinterest in everything and everyone, just like you.” He glared at her and she stuck her tongue out at him. “Just saying.”

“QQ was given to me by my Master when I was studying in Atara. She said I was boring and thought caring for a pet might broaden my horizons.” Piper scratched QQ under his chin and he nuzzled closer with a happy squeal.

“Well, you’re a lot of things Gust.” She was cradling QQ in her lap now and the pig looked like he was living his best life. “But I would never describe you as boring.” He straightened in his seat, taken aback. He wasn’t sure how to respond. Obviously, he didn’t find himself boring. He had intricate depth and creativity on his side, though those facets of his being were rarely ever acknowledged by others. 

“But it must have been QQ this whole time.” Piper winked and Gust visibly bristled. “So, maybe there was a method to your Master’s madness.”

Gust snorted. “I still think it was all an elaborate prank for her.”

Piper hummed. “I mean, it is a little funny, too. As I said, you’re an unlikely pair, but I think QQ likes you. Isn’t that right, buddy.” QQ gave her another happy snuffle. “That’s what I thought. You love your owner.”

“QQ doesn’t have the capacity to love. He’s a pig.” With a sniff, he turned back to his painting. The sun was barely visible now and he sighed. So much for finishing this piece before the light was gone. “Still, I care for him because he was given to me by my Master.”

“You’re telling me that you keep QQ out of spite?” He could hear the smile in her voice. “I don’t believe that.” She was back at his side now, QQ in her arms. “Look at this face and tell me it doesn’t make your ice cold heart melt.” Gust arched an eyebrow as she raised QQ at eye level. He nuzzled up against his cheek. Gust tried to keep a straight face, but he smiled despite himself. “I knew it. You care about him.”

“One is bound to get attached to an animal when they’re in your care,” Gust deadpanned as he took QQ and placed him back on the ground. The pig bounded across the grass to chase some fireflies that had just emerged. He watched him go fondly. “But I should pack up,” he continued as he began gathering his paints, “I lost the light, so I’ll have to try again tomorrow.”

Piper looked up with a frown. “My bad,” she muttered.

“It’sー” He paused, considering his next words. Piper had pulled him away from his work, as she was known to do. But he’d allowed himself to be distracted, so it wasn’t only Piper’s fault. And honestly, he’d take any excuse to get out of his home for another evening. “It’s fine, I probably wouldn’t have finished the painting this evening anyway.”

“You sure?” Gust only hummed in response as he packed up his easel. “I could try to work with the ladies at the Research Center to see if we could make you a light. In case you ever want to do painting in the evening?”

“I assure you, it’s fine. I was painting a sunset and that sunset is now gone.” He threw his bag over his shoulder and balanced his canvas in his hands, careful to not smudge the wet paint. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to head home.” He gave her a curt nod and brushed past her before she had a chance to respond. She didn’t follow him . He tried to ignore that little voice at the back of his mind that was wishing she had.

↢↢↢↣↣↣

The sound of pencil on paper always calmed Gust. It was therapeutic for him. He could press as hard as he’d like on a pencil and if it broke, so be it. He scrutinized the messy sketch in front of him. His lines were heavy and dark today. The preliminary design for the new relic museum was slowly taking shape. It was tame compared to his other work. A classic two storied building with a cross gabled roof, crafted from polished white stone. He’d add his own flair to it, of course. 

He traced the curve of one of the large arched windows. They would be the star of the show if he had his way. Stained glass. A wonderful mid morning sun would create a fantastical lighting display in the museum. His own masterpiece to go down in history.  
“Stained glass, huh?” Gust’s blood ran cold. Piper’s breath tickled the back of his neck. How long had she been there? How did he not notice? He swallowed the gasp that threatened to spill out. “Who’s going to be the poor builder who has to make all that glass for you?” There was teasing lilt to her voice.

“I’m just drafting some ideas,” he set his pencil aside and swiveled in his seat, “nothing’s set inー” The words died on his lips as he balked at the sight in front of him. Piper was a mess. Her face was flushed, breathing hard, like she’d just finished running a marathon. Her wheat colored hair was plastered to her skin, drenched in sweat. “What in Light’s name happened to you,” his lip curled at her the mud and sand she’d trekked up the stairs, “you’re filthy.”

Piper rolled her eyes and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. They were sticking up straight now. She didn’t seem to notice. His fingers twitched in his lap, but he resisted the urge to fix them. Instead, he chose to stare at them helplessly. “I just got back from the ruins in the Eufaula Desert,” she explained with a shrug, “I feel the heat out there a little more than I do here. Trekking across sand isn’t exactly my idea of a good time.” Gust couldn’t argue with that. He’d only visited the Eufaula once since the bridge opened and he had no intention of returning. “But,” she continued with an enthusiastic smile, “I came here for a reason.”

“Oh really?” He tried to hide the smile in his voice. “You aren’t just here to irritate me?”

“You know that’s my favorite pastime, but no, not this time.” She reached for the bag slung across her shoulder. There was the distinct clink of rocks and metals as she shuffled through its contents. “Here we go.” She tugged a book out of her bag and presented it to him. “Tada! _Structural Dimension Theory_ by,” she paused and glanced at the cover, “Vincent Azula!” 

Gust’s eyes widened. The cover was a little battered and it was covered in a thin layer of mineral dust, but he could read the title plain as day. He’d been searching for a copy of this book for years. He’d scoured the Free Cities. He sent letters to fellow architects. He even asked his Master to keep an eye out during her travels. Nothing had come of it. “How did you find this?”

“I found it while I was digging around in the mine,” she pushed it a little closer, “hence the dirt.”

He reached forward to touch it, but stopped himself. Why was she giving it to him? This book belonged in a museum, not his bookshelf. She could sell it and make a fortune. Instead, she was just giving it to him. He didn’t do anything to deserve it. His hand fell back into his lap.

“Do you know how valuable that is?”

“Do I care?” She tilted her head at him, “Albert told me you were itching to get your hands on a copy and I found one. I want you to be the one to have it.”

“Well, I don’t want to take it.”

He winced. That’s not what he meant. He wanted to take it very much, but she was wasting it on him. Piper’s expression fell, the disappointment clear on her face. She was terrible at hiding her emotions. The exact opposite of him. He lacked the ability to appropriately convey his emotions. It’s how he found himself in situations like these. He couldn’t even describe what he was feeling right now. Shame? Guilt? A deeply rooted sense of self loathing? Probably a lovely mixture of all three. Piper was giving it to him. He shouldn’t turn away because he felt he didn’t deserve it. That wasn’t his choice to make. He turned away from her to hide the angry blush burning in his cheeks. “You can set it over there.” Piper didn’t respond. A part of him was afraid she’d left. He wouldn’t have blamed her. 

“But you just said…” Piper trailed off.

Gust breathed a sigh of relief. She was still there. “That’s not what I meant,” he managed softly, “it’s a rare find and you’re just giving it to me. I was just surprised. Set it over there.” He gestured to table off to the side. “You went through the trouble of bringing it here, I might as well read it.” He grimaced. For once in his life, he wanted to say what he meant. _Thank her, you coward._ “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome?” She sounded confused. That made two of them. “I hope you enjoy it.”

Gust didn’t trust himself to speak, so he settled for a dismissive wave. Not much better, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Her heavy footfalls retreated back down the stairs, then the jingle of the front door. When he was certain she was out of sight, he let his head fall forward with a groan. He tapped his forehead, once, twice, against his drafting table. A disaster. He was a disaster.

“And you say _I’m_ bad with women?”

Gust glanced up. Albert leaned against the banister of the stairs a cheeky grin playing on his lips. He hated when Albert gave him that look. It meant he felt like gloating and he was not in the mood for Albert to get on his high horse. He massaged his temples. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Come on mate,” Albert threw his hands into the air, “You used to be so charming and talkative when we were in Atara. You had men and women eating out the palm of your hand and now you can’t even thank someone properly for their incredibly thoughtful gift. What happened?”

Gust fiddled with his watch. What hadn’t happened? He’d abandoned his family and fled to the city with no intentions of returning. Now that he was back, he had to face the consequences of his actions. He doted on his sister. He tried to make up for the time they’d lost, but it was clear that she’d grown up without him. They spent time together, but he could feel the unspoken tension. They never talked about the manner in which he’d left. There was an elephant in the room and neither of them made any attempt to address it. His father. He bit the inside of his cheek. Well, his father had Mint who was, by all intents and purposes, more deserving of his father’s affection and attention. Mint could be the man and son Gust never could. Portia had been his home, but now he was the stranger. He had no right to feel bitter and alone. He’d done this to himself.

“I have no interest in charming the people here.” That much was true. He couldn’t fix what he’d done, so he just didn’t bother anymore. It didn’t matter what he did, whether he was kind or mean. His future was set in stone as long as he lived in Portia.

Albert shook his head. “You’re allowed to make friends.”

“I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to do a job,” Gust replied with a pointed look in his direction, “As are you, we’re building our reputation. When that happens, we can move onto bigger and better things. This way, I won’t have any attachments holding me back when that happens.”

↢↢↢↣↣↣

Gust wandered the streets of Atara. He knew these roads like the back of his hand. He’d spent his free time as a student exploring every inch of the city. It’s how he found his favorite cafe. It sold the best coffee and it was where he and Albert had hatched their original plan for A&G Construction. He almost smiled at the memory. They had a lot of dreams back then.

Today, he’d decided to meander through the market district before he had to meet Albert for a long day of schmoozing. People surrounded him on all sides, but he relished the bustling energy around him. They were strangers. They had their own lives and they didn’t bother themselves with knowing him or his business. It was so unlike Portia. 

A gentle smile settled across his face as he followed the flow of traffic. He was on a mission this morning. Ginger’s birthday was in a few months and he wanted to find something to bring back home for her. Perhaps there was a new book that he could get his hands on. Anything to get her to stop raving about _Journey to the East_. If he heard her gush about Albert’s thoughtful present one more time, he might just scream, especially when he knew where the book really came from.

He glanced at the shop stalls with mild disinterest. Nothing really stood out to him. Most of these shops sold boring knick-knacks. Cheap and plentiful. There was nothing of real value, and certainly nothing worth giving his sister. Just as he was resigning himself to the fact that he wouldn’t find anything, he paused. A small display of jewelry and brooches was set up on the side of the road, glistening softly in the mid morning sun. He examined the pieces for a few moments, but one in particular kept drawing his eye.

It was a brooch, reminiscent of a pinecock feather. A gradient of gemstones went from deep emerald to a pale blue and the golden frame was lined with pearls. It was beautifully crafted. It made him think of Piper. He knew she would appreciate the steady hand it took to make it. It would also compliment her complexion. He shook his head, mentally scolding himself. No. He was looking for a gift for his sister, not Piper. He took a hesitant step away from the display, but couldn’t manage another. His eyes stayed trained on that brooch.

He was conflicted. On the one hand, getting Piper a gift wouldn’t be completely out of the question. She had given him a birthday present and that architecture book, so getting her something in kind would be appropriate, wouldn’t it? But on the other hand, he didn’t want the ramifications that came with giving her a gift. If others found out, they’d read into it and then rumors would start to fly. The last thing he wanted was for people to be prying into his personal affairs.

He willed his feet to move, to put these silly thoughts out of his head and continue down the street. He’d find something else for Ginger and he’d meet back up with Albert at the exhibition hall. They’d charm investors and showcase the wonderful projects he’d spent months working on, then they’d come home. He’d act like nothing had happened because it hadn’t. Simple. A moment passed, then another. People pushed past him on the streets and for the first time he felt smothered by the city crowd. Another moment passed and he swore under his breath. He reached for the gols in his pocket, and before he could stop himself, he was waving the shopkeeper over.

↢↢↢↣↣↣

The sun had just broken over the horizon when Gust slipped out into the quiet streets of Portia that morning. He wanted to catch Piper before she made her rounds through town, away from prying eyes. In order to do this, he knew he had to get to her workshop at the crack of dawn. He had no idea how Piper did this every day. He often saw her milling about during his late night strolls with Ginger, so he knew she worked into the late hours of the night. There were rumors of her passing out on more than one occasion. Yet, without fail, she managed to roll out of bed each morning with a smile on her face.

He muffled a yawn in his hand as he watched the sun peek over the front gates. Sunrises were never really his thing. He preferred the calm that came with a sunset and the promise of night. The rich pinks and oranges of a sunset were richer than the pale hues that currently colored the sky overhead.

As he approached the town gates, he placed a hand protectively over his pocket. The brooch shifted under his fingers as he walked. He was only slightly embarrassed that he’d practiced what he was going to say this morning while he was getting ready. He saw the brooch while traveling in Atara and thought it would suit her. Simple, easy to remember, there was no way he could mess it up.

The soft, ceaseless, hum of her machines filled the air as he approached Pipes & Bricks. Piper was currently bent over her skiver, unloading several bolts of fine leather. Today, she’d traded her usual top knot for a simple braid. Small wispy curls had already come loose and framed her face. It was a surprisingly delicate look for her. He willed his heart to stop racing as he cleared his throat.

“Good morning, Piper.”

She looked up from her machine and he noted the smudged grease across the bridge of her nose. “Gust?” The surprise on her face was quickly replaced by an amused smile. “Do my eyes deceive me or is Mr. Clean Freak coming to my workshop of his own freewill? Surely, the Dark Ages are back upon us.” 

Gust teased his lower lip between his teeth. This was out of character for him. He realized that now, standing on the other side of her gate. Her surprise was warranted. He never went out of his way to visit anyone, yet, here he was at an ungodly hour just to give her a present. Panic began to fester in the pit of his stomach. He hadn’t even considered what this would look like to Piper.

If she had suspicions, she didn’t let it show as she continued, “What can I do for you? Got a commission for me? That’s normally why people stop by these days.” She sighed wistfully. “You know, I’d love it if someone stopped by just to say hello.”

“Albert and I went to Atara last week.” Gust wanted to kick himself.

Piper gave him an owlish look. “Yeah, I know,” she said slowly, “you’ve been raving about your exhibition for months. Did it go well?”

“It went surprisingly well,” he tried to play it cool but the excitement in his voice was undeniable, “We had a lot of interest from investors, so we’ll see what happens.” Gust and Albert were pretty happy about this development. Sure, Albert was still nursing the remnants of a hangover after all the schmoozing and Gust had locked himself away for a few days to recover himself. People were draining in general, but those events always killed him. Their hard work paid off though. Albert had a meeting with an investor later this week.

“Well, that’s great to hear. I told you everything would be fine.”

“I guess you were.” He gave her a soft smile and she returned it. “Oh right,” he tugged the brooch out of his pocket and offered it to her, “I got this.”

Piper set the bolts aside and crossed the yard to get a closer look. Her eyes widened and there was the faintest hitch in her breath. The panic in his chest was quickly replaced with a sense of pride. She liked it. He could tell by the sparkle in her eyes. “It’s gorgeous,” she sounded breathless, “is it for Ginger? Her birthday is coming up in a few months, isn’t it?”

Gust’s expression fell. She thought it was for Ginger. It was obviously for her. The jewels matched the blue flecks in her eyes and the gold inlay complimented her sun kissed complexion. It was practically made to be worn by her. That’s why he bought it.  
“W-What no, this isn’t herーwhy would Iー” His brief bout of confidence was waning fast. He hadn’t anticipated the confusion, but he could still save this. He just needed to get the conversation back on track and stick to the facts. “Actually, Albert gave it to me.” The lie tumbled from his lips before he could stop it. He sucked in his breath through gritted teeth. Gust was a lot of things. Crass, rude, more than a little evasive and standoffish, but he wasn’t a liar. In fact, he considered himself truthful to a fault. Still, he found himself lying. The worst part, there was no need to lie in this situation, but his mouth refused to listen as he continued to spout bullshit. “I have no need for it. So, you should take it.” He offered it to her. “Consider it payment for the book.”

Piper looked taken aback by his abruptness. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful,” she scratched sheepishly at the nape of her neck, “but you do realize the concept of a gift, right?” Gust’s brain was short-circuiting, he tried to respond, but he could only stare at her. This was a quickly sinking ship and he needed to get away, but his feet wouldn’t move. He wanted to scream. “The book I gave you was a gift,” she continued slowly, “you don’t have to pay me back. I wanted you to have it.”

And he wanted her to have this brooch. Wasn’t that much obvious? He narrowed his eyes at her. “I understand that,” he said tersely, “I’m just trying toー” He paused. What was he trying to do? At the moment, he was trying to end this conversation so he could go and sulk somewhere far away from her, but he couldn’t even manage that. His fingers closed around the brooch, its sharp edges digging into his palm. “Nevermind, if you don’t want it, I’ll find someoneー”

“Woah there buddy,” Piper reached forward and wrapped her fingers around his wrist. Her grip was surprisingly strong as she tugged him closer. “I never said I wouldn’t take the brooch. I just wanted to clarify that what I gave you was a gift.” She offered him a small smile. “I appreciate that you thought of me. It’s beautiful, so I’d be happy to take it off your hands, as a gift.”

Gust stared at her. She was able to say what he couldn’t. He’d come to her workshop to give her a gift and he couldn’t even articulate his true intentions. He’d lied to her. Anger boiled in the pit of his stomach, but there was something else in the mix. It was a feeling he felt in the quiet hours of the night or when one of his concepts was ripped apart by a client. Shame. He was ashamed of himself. It had taken a brooch to make him see how socially stunted he’d become. Now he really wanted to go home and sulk.

“Payment, gift, whatever. Just take it.”

Piper plucked the brooch from his hand and fastened it to the front of her coveralls. The jewels glistened faintly in the early morning sun. “What do you think?” her tone was bright as she placed a hand on her hip, “I think it brings out the grease stains on these things, but in a cute way, ya know?”

Gust swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in his throat. He wanted to feel good. He’d given her the brooch after all. But this entire ordeal made him feel empty. He forced a smile across his face, but he knew it came out more like a sneer.   
“You’re hopeless.” There was a brittle edge to his voice and he wasn’t entirely sure if he was calling Piper hopeless. Or himself? He needed to leave before he made things worse. “I should go,” he spun on his heel and hurried back up the path, “try not to visit the office today. You’re loud and distracting.”

“I make no promises.”

“Goodbye Piper.”

“Hey Gust.” He paused and turned back over his shoulder. She offered him a small wave. “Thanks for stopping by to say hi. Don’t be a stranger.”


	5. Game Night

Gust shrugged off his suit coat and threw it unceremoniously over his shoulders. His body ached and he could feel the itch of sunburn beginning across the bridge of his nose. It had been a long day down at the harbor. Normally, he never worked on site. He preferred his life living behind the scenes, away from clients and the more hands on experience of construction. That was Albert’s scene, they were behind schedule on the harbor project and Albert had come to the decision it was all hands on deck in order to make up for lost time. As co-owner of the business, that included Gust.

The Harbor Project was big for A&G, but he was beginning to wonder if they’d bitten off more than they could chew. Gust learned pretty early in the day that he wasn’t built to handle the stress of manual labor. His limbs felt like jello. If he was able to get out of bed in the morning, he’d be surprised. In short, he was stressed. He needed a drink.

Instead of heading home, he found himself turning towards the Round Table. Music and laughter could be heard on the other side of the door. The usual ruckus of a Friday night. He paused just outside the door. He needed a drink, but was he willing to sacrifice his peace of mind? Yes. He swallowed his pride and pushed through the doors.

He kept his head down as he approached the bar. One drink, then he’d head straight home. That was the plan. He just had to stick to it. He waved Django over. The mixologist took one look at him and his disheveled appearance, and got straight to work fixing his usual, apricot juice with two shots of vodka. Gust licked his lips. Moisture clung to the surface of the glass as Django slid the glass into his hands. He downed half the drink in one go, relishing in the refreshing tang of the apricot.

“Rough day buddy?”

Gust almost choked on his drink. Piper was sitting in the stool next to him, but she looked different. The Piper he knew was covered in grease and dirt with her hair thrown in a haphazard top knot. Her hair was down around her shoulders in loose waves. She even wore a little make up. Her trademark coveralls were nowhere to be seen this evening. She’d opted for a delicate silk button up the color of spring leaves and fitted jeans. His eyes fell to the brooch on her collar. The brooch he’d given her. It was her statement piece this evening and it worked. Light, did it work.

“Piper?” He struggled to swallow. His throat felt like sandpaper.

She glanced down at her outfit, then back at him. “Did you seriously not recognize me?” She looked offended, which was fair, even if that wasn’t his intention.

“It’s not that,” he said defensively, “I’m just surprised, you aren’t in your usual get up.” He took another sip of his drink, but it did nothing for his dry throat. The brooch paired with the blouse really brought the blue out in her eyes. “You look so put together.” He made a face. That was tactless, even for him.

Piper rolled her eyes and settled back in her seat. Gust had to stop himself from lingering on the curve of her hips. Those coveralls hid a lot. “I now see why Albert handles the client relations. You suck at complimenting people.” 

Yes. Yes, he did. “I handle clients when the need arises,” he said firmly, “I helped you. You got your workshop addition. What more do you want from me?”

“Yes and you were just as prickly then as you are now.” She chuckled and crossed her legs, which only accentuated the curve of his ass. He tore his eyes away and stared pointedly at his glass, mentally berating himself. No. He wasn’t Albert. He would not oogle, especially Piper, of all people. He had more class than that. 

“So what has you in such a foul mood besides well, ya know, everything.” She knocked shoulders with him playfully. “No offense, but you look like you were hit by a DeeDee Transport on your way over here. You normally look so put together.” She was using his words against him now, but Gust found himself smiling nonetheless.

“I spent my day transporting bricks and concrete for the Harbor project.”

Piper gasped. “You,” she stifled a chuckle, “but those lily white hands of yours have never seen a hard day’s work in their life? How’d you survive?”

Gust snorted into his drink. Apricot juice dribbled down his chin and onto his rumpled shirt. That seemed appropriate considering the circumstance. Piper looked so satisfied with herself. Her shit eating grin was unreal. “Well, I’m here aren’t I?” he wiped the juice away with the back of his hand. “I survived.”

“Yeah,” she snorted, “barely.”

“What about you? Why are you all dressed up?”

“I’ve got a date.” 

Gust swallowed thickly. A date? He racked his brain. In all their recent conversations, she’d never mentioned an interest in anyone. Not that she’d say anything anyway. She spent most of her free time with the Civil Corps. He’d seen her dancing with Remington at Albert’s party. Maybe they were involved romantically. He shook his head. No. That would have gotten around. The town wasn’t very large. People talk.

“Yeah?” His voice was hollow as he finished off the rest of his drink.

Piper hummed in response. “Yeah, a long standing one. Sam and I play games on Friday nights. She likes to call it date night. Not sure how Phyllis feels about that though.” Gust immediately relaxed. Sam. Sam, who was in a happy relationship with Phyllis. Sam, her best friend. Of course, they’d spend their Friday nights together. That's what friends did.

As if on cue, the doors to the Round Table swung open and Sam came barreling into the dining room. She was followed by Remington and Arlo, who seemed less enthusiastic, but still pretty happy to be done with their day. Gust grimaced. He always left when the Civil Corps brats arrived. He trained his eyes on the dregs at the bottom of his glass. Sam flung her arms around Piper’s neck which sent her back into him. He gave no reaction, eyes still on his glass. 

A new wave of exhaustion rolled over him. He wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for the next 24 hours. It was an attractive prospect. Maybe he would. Piper had all but forgotten him as she chatted idly with Sam. He swirled the remnants of his drink and watched the chunks of apricot drift around. One drink, then straight home.

“Hey.” He looked up. Sam was gone and Piper was standing. “Do you want to play a game with us?”

“A game?”

“Yeah, I’ve heard they’re fun,” she said smugly, “you should try it sometime. Fun, I mean.” Gust massaged his temples tiredly. People kept telling him that. “Sorry, I think I deserve a few jabs at your expense every now and then. But I’m serious you should join us, at least for one game. I think you need to let off some steam.”

“What I need is some sleep.”

“You can do that too, after you play a game with us.” She glanced down at her watch. “It won’t take that long. I’m terrible. I promise. One game and you’re free to go, so what do you say?”

His mind was racing. Piper wanted him to stick around. He searched her eyes. She had to be doing this out of pity. He was sitting here and moping over an empty glass. She just felt sorry for him. That was the only reason she’d extend an invitation. Her expression seemed genuine enough, maybe even a little nervous as she waited for his response.

“Fine.” He stood up and began rolling up the sleeves of his button up. “I’ll play one game.”

Piper tried and failed to hide the shock on her face. She nibbled at her lower lip as they walked towards the game room at the back of the restaurant. Gust’s own heart was racing. He wasn’t lying when he said he was tired. Even so, he’d accepted her invitation. He never had an issue with turning down invitations before. He couldn’t dwell on his poor life choices for too long before, they reached the game room.

Arlo and Remington had already claimed the coveted shooting game along the far wall. Gust watched as Arlo shot each of the targets with a marksman’s precision. He expected nothing less from the captain of the corps. On the other side of the room, Sam was gathering darts from the board. A wide smile broke out across the face as the pair entered the room. He didn’t like the mischievous look she gave him.

“Are you joining us for a game, pretty boy?”

Gust wrinkled his nose at her. He loathed that nickname, granted he loathed Sam in general. She was loud, obnoxious, and the way she scarfed down food made him physically ill. This was why he avoided interactions with her at all costs. It was easy enough to do. Gust didn’t gravitate in the same social circles as the Civil Corps, or any social circles really. Yet, here he was, about to play a game with the very people he tried to avoid.

“I am.” His voice was tight.

“Well then,” her smile turned a little more sinister, “it looks like we’re playing darts this evening.” She waved the barbs in her hand. “Are you guys ready to get your asses handed to you?”

Gust scoffed. Another reason he disliked Sam. She had far too much pride. When she got competitive it was like looking in a mirror, one he wasn’t ready to look into yet. Still, he combed his fingers through his hair and tied it back in a low ponytail. “Are you ready to get yours handed to you?”

Sam’s eyes sparkled, and he was pretty sure the same spark was in his. “That sounded like a challenge to me?”

Gust smirked. “Perhaps it was.”

“Loser buys the next round.”

He could feel the electric air between them and the exhaustion in his bones seemed to melt away. He hadn’t played darts in years, but he was fairly confident in his abilities. He didn’t intend on folding so easily, not if he had the opportunity to beat Sam at her own game. “I like apricot juice with vodka.” 

Sam’s expression hardened. “Then you can buy it for yourself when I win.”

“You’re on.”

Sam was good. Scary good, but Gust had anticipated this. Her confidence in her abilities was warranted and if they weren’t in the middle of a competition he might have admitted it. But they were, so he didn’t. She’d managed to get full points her first go around, but Gust didn’t let that deter him. He took a deep breath and rolled the dart between his fingers.

“Sometime today, pretty boy?”

Gust resisted the urge to roll his eyes. She was one of _those_ opponents. He wouldn’t let her taunts get to him. The dart board spun slowly in front of him. He watched as it made one, two rotations, then threw the dart with a flick of his wrist. It soared through the air with a certain finesse before planting itself firmly in the board. It only took one before the adrenaline was pumping through his veins. One after the other, the barbs found their mark. He smirked. A perfect score. He still had it.

“No way.”

“Wow Sam, I think you finally met your match.”

Gust glanced back at the girls with a smugly. “Your turn.” 

Sam looked positively elated as she hurried over to him and clapped him hard on the back. “Looks like I found a worthy opponent. I was beginning to think I was the best.” He winced and tried to mask his groan of pain with a cough. Piper arched an eyebrow at him, unconvinced if the amused smile playing on her lips was anything to go by. Gust huffed and settled against the slot machine, which only made her smile wider. Damn it.

“I guess we’ll have to see who slips up first.”

↢↢↢↣↣↣

_Ten rounds._ Ten rounds of perfect scores. Gust wasn’t a mathematician by any means, but he felt like this shouldn’t have been possible. He glanced down at his watch. Even still, an hour had passed and neither of them had missed a shot. Over the hour, they’d gained the attention of Remington and Arlo, who now sat with Piper at the prize counter, watching in awe.

“How are you this good,” Arlo asked, “I’ve never seen you in the game room before now.”

“They have dart boards in Atara,” Gust said as he tossed another dart. It soared through the air, hitting its mark and Sam muffled a groan in the heel of her palm. Gust smirked and yielded the board back to her. “Whenever I hit a creative block, I’d throw darts. It was a thoughtless task that helped clear my mind.”

“You could just say it was something fun to do?” Remington said.

“You’re allowed to have fun.” Piper added with a smile.

“I don’t know if you’ve realized this Pipes,” Sam said as she chucked a dart at the board, “but fun is for humans.” Gust huffed. He knew where this was going. Sam gave him a shit eating grin before tossing another dart at the board. “And I’m not entirely convinced that Gust is human.” The boys laughed along with Sam, but he noted how Piper stayed relatively quiet from her perch on the counter. This surprised Gust. She loved making jabs at him.

“I’m not a machine,” Gust said once the laughter died down, “I know how to have fun.” He crossed his arms across his chest and glared evenly at Sam. “I just find joy in more intricate endeavors.”

“Yeah, okay, you can get off your high horse. We know you think you’re better than us.” Her words cut him like a knife. Sure, he’d received petty jabs from a few people, but no one had called him out so casually before. Gust frowned, but Sam had already turned her attention back to the board to toss her last dart. It landed right on target. Another perfect score. Sam groaned and kicked the ground. “At this rate, I’ll never get a drink.”

“You could always buy your own drink?” Piper offered as she picked at the dirt under her nails.

“Then what’s the point of winning?”

“You could always give up,” Gust couldn’t hide the smug edge to his voice, “and admit you’ve finally met someone who’s better than you.” He approached the board and gathered the darts as they entered the twelfth round of their game.

“Dream on,” Sam snapped, “I won’t give up that easily.”

Gust sighed. He’d already stayed out later than he wanted to. The initial adrenaline had worn off and now he could feel the exhaustion settling back in his bones. He was ready to turn in, but he doubted Sam would let that happen without a definitive end to their competition. She was unyielding, but Gust was willing to swallow his pride if it meant he could finally leave.

“Very well.” He pushed up the sleeves of his button up and turned back to the board. With the flick of his wrist, he let the dart soar across the room. It embedded itself in the wall, barely missing its target. He made sure to aim for one of the crosshairs, so the hole wasn’t too obvious. “Oh clumsy me,” he deadpanned as he stepped away from the board, “There goes my streak, I guess you win.”

The group looked at him, entirely unconvinced. Sam stepped forward and glared up at him. She stood at least a head shorter, but the fierceness in her eyes made Gust sweat. “That wasn’t a real win. You lost on purpose.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Gust gave Sam a wide berth as he stepped around her and made his way back into the restaurant. “I’ll go get those drinks.” He slid into one of the seats beside him and out of the corner of his eye he saw someone slip into the one beside him. He didn’t need to look to know who’d followed him. He only spared Piper a glance before waving Django over.

“A melon mix,” his gaze flicked back to Piper, “and a red tea.”

“You don’t have to buy me a drink.”

“Loser buys a round,” he said tiredly as he slid some gols across the counter. “I’m not having a drink, so you can have mine.” He handed her the glass. “It’s what you were drinking when I came in, right?” She nodded and took the glass with a mystified expression. 

“Thanks.” Gust only hummed as he took the other glass and made his way back towards the game room. “That was pretty impressive. Your dart skills, I mean.” Piper took a tentative sip of her drink and hissed contentedly. “I’ve never seen someone go head to head with Sam like that. It was admirable.”

He shrugged. “It wasn’t anything remarkable,” he said, “I still lost.”

Piper made a face at him. “Did you though?”

His lips curved into a small smile. “I did.”

Piper snickered into her drink. “Of course, well better luck next time,” she said. Gust wanted to tell her that there wouldn’t be a next time, but he wasn’t given the chance. Sam was on him the moment he walked back into the game room.

“That wasn’t a real win and I won’t accept the outcome,” Sam said hotly, “you threw the game. I want a rematch.” Gust blinked down at her and she narrowed her eyes at him. “Unless you’re scared?” He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t unnerved by the primal glint in her eyes, but that had nothing to do with his ability to play darts, it was his survival instincts telling him it was time to go.

“I’m not scared and I won’t be playing again,” he said as he handed her the drink. She didn’t even look at it as she passed it off to Arlo who was now hovering just over her shoulder. He looked at it warily and he passed it off on Remington. Gust was only mildly concerned that he looked ready to jump into action. He didn’t really want to consider what this meant for him. “I’m tired. So, I’m going home.”

“Fine then,” Sam crossed her arms, “rematch next week.”

Gust cocked his head at her. “I beg your pardon?”

“I want a rematch next week. We always play on Friday nights. Meet us here and I’ll kick your ass in a new game. For real this time,” her glare was unwavering as she stared up at him, “I’ll drag you out of your home if I have to.” He could tell that wasn’t an empty threat.

“I think what Sam is trying to say.” Piper stepped between them and gave Sam a pointed look. “I think she’s trying to say that she’d like you to join us for another game night. It was fun.” She turned her attention back to Gust and smiled. “So please join us again next week.”

He should say no, right? Though he loosely considered Piper a friend, he had no desire to forge a kinship with the members of the Civil Corps. He glanced back at the dart board. It continued to its slow crawl and he found himself mesmerized by it. He did, however, miss playing darts and he almost enjoyed the company this evening, though he’d never admit it out loud. “Ask me again on Friday.” He blinked and Piper mirrored his expression. He was just as surprised as they were by his response. “We’ll see if I’m in the mood to deal with you incessant chatter, but I make no promises.”

“O-Okay,” Piper managed through her shock, “I’ll stop by A&G at the end of the day to see how you’re feeling.” Gust nodded numbly. “Thank you for playing with us. I think we all enjoyed it.” She and Sam shared a look and the blonde huffed and crossed her arms.

“Yeah, whatever, it was fun,” Sam said tight;y, “but I will win next week.”

“We’ll see.” Gust offered the group a curt nod. “With that, I think I’ll take my leave.” 

They offered him a ripple of waves and salutes as he spun on his heel and made his way out of the Round Table. As he made his way home that evening, he found himself smiling. Perhaps it was the remnants of his drink, or the high after a good game of darts, but for the first time in years, he felt good. For once, he wasn’t thinking about leaving Portia. In fact, he was almost looking forward to next Friday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. For art and more MTAP content check me out on tumblr at robingoodfellow94.tumblr.com


	6. Find a Piece of Happiness

“Are you just about done?” 

Ginger hummed in response as she continued threading Gust’s hair into an intricate braid. She’d found a new style and wanted to practice it on him. As usual, he was unable to refuse. “Why the rush?” She grabbed another section of his hair and pulled it tightly into place. He winced. “It’s not like you plan on going anywhere.”

Gust glanced down at his watch. “Actually, I have plans this evening.”

“Oh really? I don’t think working on the harbor project counts as plans.”

“I’m actually meeting people at the Round Table this evening.” Ginger’s fingers stilled. Gust sucked in a breath through his teeth. He’d been hoping to keep this information to himself, but as time ticked on, the antsier he got. “Piper invited me to play games at the Round Table with her and Sam and I’m in a good mood, so,” he shrugged, trying to play it off, “I agreed to join them. It’s not a big deal.”

“Not a big deal,” Ginger echoed, “Not a big deal? I don’t think you’ve made plans with anyone besides Albert since coming back to Portia. This is a huge deal.” Gust rolled his eyes. He anticipated this kind of reaction, which is why he hadn’t planned on saying anything.

“It’s not,” Gust said firmly, “we’re just playing darts.”

“That’s what it starts out with, but soon you’ll be having lunch dates or getting invited to parties!” Ginger said as she continued working diligently on his hair, “I’m so happy to see you putting yourself out there and having fun.” She sighed wistfully. “My darling brother is finally making friends. I’m so proud.”

“If anything, I’ve made an enemy,” Gust snorted, “Sam looked like she wanted to smack me when I threw the game. Arlo was about ready to hold her back.”

Ginger giggled. “What’s wrong with a little friendly competition?” She pushed his head forward so she had better access to the nape of his neck. “You have no idea how happy this news makes me.”

Gust drummed his fingers against the top of his knees. He hated this. In Atara, he’d been charming, charismatic even. He could hold a conversation and his free evenings were spent galavanting about the town with friends. He was someone completely different in Atara, but even then, it hadn’t really been him. It was an act. Beneath the thin veneer, he was still a bitter and angry teenager who’d run away from home. When he came back to Portia, there was no mask to hide behind. Everyone already knew who he really was. There was no pretending, so why should he try?

“Are you almost done?”

Ginger sighed. “You know,” she said softly, “you don’t have to close me out. I know you feel guilty because you weren’t here while I was growing up, but that doesn’t matter to me.” She finished off the rest of the braid and smoothed a few of the wispy flyaways. “All that matters to me is that you’re here now.”

Gust swallowed thickly. He didn’t want to talk about this. Not now. “I guess.”

Another sigh. “I want you to be happy Gust. I really do.” She tied off the end of his braid and let her hands fall to his shoulders. He stiffened under her touch. “I’ve only ever wanted your happiness. I hope you can find it here, but I know that’s hard for you right now. Just know, I’m on your side. I always have been.”

Gust let out a shaky breath. He knew Ginger was on his side. He knew she supported him and loved him. Her actions always reflected that. But hearing her say it out loud was different. It made his heart swell in his chest. “I know you have.”

“Good.” She gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze. “So please, go find some happiness out there.”

↢↢↢↣↣↣

Gust hated dirty things. He also hated getting dirty. Throughout his life, he tried his hardest to avoid situations where he would encounter either scenario. And for the most part, he’d been successful. Yet, here he was, combing through fields of wildflowers on his hands and knees of his own free will. In past years, finding hibiscus flowers was an easy task. He’d stroll towards the waterfall, find a nice patch, and pick a small bouquet. It would take a half hour out of his day total.

This year, he hadn’t been so lucky. He’d searched the hills around Bassanio Heights for at least two hours and so far he hadn’t found anything. It was more than a little disheartening and panic started to fester in his chest. He blew his bangs out of his eyes with an irritable huff and settled back on his knees. His hair had fallen out of its braided coif an hour ago and he was covered in dirt. He grimaced down at his disheveled appearance.

His heart ached as he regarded the rolling hills around him. The Harbor Project had eaten up a lot of his free time. That mixed with the game nights he now attended every week left very little down time. This afternoon was the first time in weeks he had the time to come out and pick flowers for his mother. It was late into the season, but he figured there’d still be something left for him to find. Perhaps he’d missed his chance and the mere notion made him want to cry. Even now, years later, he was a poor excuse for a son.

“Gust? What are you doing out here?”

Gust pulled himself from his thoughts just as Piper stepped off the lift that led to Bassanio Heights. She had a sack filled with Light-knows-what slung over her shoulder as she approached him. Whatever it was, it oozed from the bottom of the bag. His lip curled as he pushed himself off the ground and tried to brush the dirt from his slacks. Now that she was closer, he saw the dry blood crusting her lower lip and the dark purple bruise forming along her hairline. 

“You look terrible,” he noted, “are you alright?”

Her fingers ghosted over the cut on her lip. She tried to hide her wince with a breathy chuckle, but he saw it all the same. “Oh this? I’ve had worse,” she said nonchalantly, “I needed some supplies that’s only found in the abandoned factory and I finally had some free time to venture up there to get it. I forget how nasty those bandirats can get, but I handled it.”

“Are you sure? I can go get Dr. Xu?”

He took a tentative step towards town, but she waved him off. “No need, I have a few healing salves back at my workshop. I’ll patch myself up when I get home.” She adjusted the sack on her shoulder and he heard the squelch of something organic within. He grimaced. “But you never answered my question,” she continued with a tilt of her head, “what brings you this far up the hill? Kinda out of your workzone, don’t you think?”

Gust shrugged, “I was looking for Hibiscus flowers,” he admitted.

“Never took you for a flower guy.”

He smiled thinly. “I guess I’m full of surprises.”

Piper chuckled, but it sounded tight. “Fair,” she said, “have you found any?”

Gust shook his head. “They normally grow around these parts this time of year,” he explained, “But I can’t find any this year for some reason.”

“Do you need help?” 

Before he could respond, she was setting her bag off to the side and rolling up her sleeves. Her arms were covered in shallow scratches and small bruises. Gust frowned, but she either didn’t notice or ignored his concern “I can head back up the lift to see if there’s any growing up there if you want?”

“You don’t have to do that,” Gust insisted, “you’re hurt.”

“That’s never stopped me from helping people before,” Piper’s gaze softened as she took him tenderly by the hand and squeezed. Her fingernails were caked with dirt and the palms of her hands were a little tacky, but in that moment, Gust didn’t care. “Please, I want to help you. Just tell me what to do.”

“They sometimes grow around the waterfall.” His voice was small as he stared at their hands. He traced the slopes of her bruised knuckles with his thumb. “I haven’t checked there yet.”

“Say no more. I’m on it.” She let go of his hand, sack full of trinkets forgotten and brushed past him. He noticed her flinch of pain, as she stepped gingerly on her right ankle.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yep.” He wanted to argue, but she didn’t give him the chance. She shambled down the hill and out of sight.

Gust glanced down at his hand. Some of the sticky residue had transferred onto his palm. It was ruddy brown and looked suspiciously similar to the ooze that bled out the bottom of her bag. He couldn’t even find it in himself to be disgusted. He was too busy trying to slow the racing of his heart. 

Piper had dropped everything to help him. She was limping and bleeding, but that didn’t matter to her. She asked for nothing in return. She was always helping others, but who was helping her? Did she even want help? These were questions he couldn’t answer. He curled his fingers into a fist, his nails dug into his palm, but he barely felt it. With gritted teeth and a steely resolve, he followed after her.

↢↢↢↣↣↣

“Did you find anything?”

They’d been searching the area around the waterfall for at least an hour, maybe longer. The sun had already dipped beyond the plateau and a bitter autumn chill was settling in. Gust shivered and pulled his coat a little tighter around his shoulders. Piper popped up from her spot a few paces away. Dirt caked her bare arms and her hair had started to fall out of her top knot. She had looked tired before, but now she looked ready to keel over.

“I think so,” she stifled a yawn, “no flowers, but I did find this weird soil while I was digging around. Maybe that’s why the flowers aren’t growing this year.” She pushed herself off the ground, barely managing to keep herself upright on her one good leg. “I’ll ask around tomorrow. One of our resident gardeners should be able to give me some insight.”

“I can ask around,” Gust insisted, “I’m the one who wants the flowers.”

Piper waved him off. “Finders keepers. I’ll tell you what I find out tomorrow.” She took a deep breath, bracing herself, as she took a hesitant step forward. Her ankle buckled under her weight, sending her crashing to her knees. Gust was at her side before she could push herself back up. 

“Stay.” His voice was firm as he placed his hands on her shoulders. Piper pouted at him, but she didn’t argue. “Show me.” She sighed and shifted back into a seated position for him. He rolled up her pant leg and examined the damage. Blood pooled under the swollen skin. She flinched as he ran his fingers over the angry red purple bruise. He clucked his tongue and turned his gaze back to her. She avoided his eyes, staring pointedly off towards the river. 

“You shouldn’t be walking on this. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because.”

Gust sighed. She was going to be a brat about this. Fine. He’d treat her like one. “Don’t be stubborn.” Before she could respond, he scooped her up in his arms. Her breath hitched as he cradled her to his chest. “I’m surprised you were able to walk on that thing at all.”

“What are you doing?” He didn’t respond as he started the long walk back to town. She squirmed in his arms, but he held her firmly in place. “What about my stuff back up the hill?”

“I’ll come back for it.” He kept his eyes trained ahead. “I’m taking you home first.”

“I can make it back on my own.”

“No,” he snapped at her, “you can’t.” His blood was boiling. He wasn’t sure who he was more upset with. Piper for her blatant disregard for her injury, or at himself for not saying something sooner. He’d seen her limping, but he let her help anyway. He breathed. In and out. He could dwell on this later, but right now, he needed to get Piper home and patched up. “How long did you plan to hide this? Your ankle isn’t going to heal overnight.”

Piper sighed. “I figured I’d cross that bridge when I got there.” She picked absently at the dirt under her nails. “I guess I didn’t have much of a plan.”

“Yeah. That much was evident.”

Piper snorted. “I’m more of an act now, think later person.” She shifted closer and let her head rest on his shoulder. “That’s probably why I find myself in these situations.”

“Well, you probably will be out of commission for the next few days,” Gust noted with a sniff, “you’ll fall behind.” Piper groaned and buried her face in the crook of his neck. Her breath tickled his exposed skin. Gust hid the shudder that crawled up his spine.

“I didn’t even think about that.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Cry probably?” Piper managed a tight chuckle. “Depending on how long this takes to heal, I’ll probably be about a week behind.” She sighed wistfully. “And I was so close to surpassing Higgins in the ranks, too. Shame."

“You can still construct small things though, can’t you?” He felt her shiver in his arms and he pulled her a little closer. She hummed softly and leaned into it. “Work on your smaller projects for the time being.”

“Easier said than done,” she said with a roll of her eyes, “I can’t go out and collect materials for the projects. I also have to refine the raw materials. Can’t do that if I can’t walk around to fill and empty my machines.” She groaned again. “This is the worst, I’m going to be so bored.”

Gust fought the amused grin that tugged at his lips. “Do you want help?”

He instantly regretted his question when Piper blinked up at him. “Help?” She arched an eyebrow at him. “Why? Are you offering?”

Gust considered this. He was currently in a lull at work. His part of the harbor project was done and they were finally back on track. Albert wasn’t begging him to lend a hand these days. He had some free time. He could help her, if she even wanted his help. He doubted his skills would be very useful to her. “You’re always helping everyone around town. Maybe someone should help you for a change.”

“And you’re volunteering yourself?”

Gust pursed his lips. “I suppose I am.”

“You’re full of surprises, you know that right?” He hummed in response. So it seemed. He was surprising himself more and more these days. “If you’re offering, I’m willing to accept,” she gave him a coy smile, “but I won’t go easy on you just because you’re pretty.”

Gust sputtered. He could feel the blood rush around his ears. “I wouldn’t expect you to. I can handle whatever you throw my way.”

“I’m sure you think you can.” He gave her an unamused look and she stuck out her tongue at him, unfazed. “But thank you. For all of this.” He nodded. A comfortable silence settled between them as he continued his trek towards her workshop. She let her head fall back against his chest, eyes fluttering shut. He moved slowly, careful not to jostle her. Not too long after, she was out cold.

Gust watched the slow rise and fall of her chest, desperately trying to ignore the warm feeling that blossomed in his chest. It was the same feeling he had when she complimented his work or when she’d given him the book. It made his heart beat faster and his head spin. This feeling was reserved for Piper alone. It didn’t feel like the affection he had for his sister or the general regard he had for Albert. This was something else, but he wasn’t sure how. 

Gust worried his lower lip between his teeth. Piper curled in on herself, whimpering softly. Her brows were pitched, unsettled. He frowned. She always carried herself with a carefree air, but as Gust watched her squirm and whimper in her sleep, he knew there was more to the story. He pulled her closer, as if that would protect her from her thoughts. But Gust knew better. Nothing could protect you from unsettling thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it's been awhile, but here's the latest chapter.   
> I've been on a D&D kick and I'm working back in the office for my job, so it's been hard to find the inspiration, but I want to keep on this.   
> So, I shall keep going. Please enjoy!


	7. A Helping Hand

Gust collapsed on the couch in the middle of the living room. He muffled his groans in one of the decorative pillows that Ginger had just embroidered earlier that month. It was light blue with pale pink flowers. She’d been so proud of how it turned out. Now, he was using it to smother himself. Ginger only spared him a glance as she turned the page of her book. “Rough day?” He grunted in response, basking in the cool fabric of the pillow. “I thought you were done helping at the Harbor? You guys caught up, didn’t you?”

“Oh, we did,” Gust rolled on his back, still cradling the pillow to his chest. “But I was helping Piper today.”

“Piper?” This seemed to catch her attention. She closed her book and set it off to the side, eyes on him. He tried not to squirm under her calculating expression. “That’s a surprise. Why were you helping her?”

“She needed help,” he shot her an unamused look, “why is my helping her a surprise?”

Ginger smirked. “No offense, but unless you’re assisting me, the word helpful doesn't normally apply to you.” Gust frowned. He couldn’t really argue with her. She was right. He only ever doted on Ginger. No one else warranted or deserved his attention, well until now. “So what did Piper need help with? You look ready to keel over.”

“Piper hurt her ankle.” Gust stifled a yawn and curled up against the arm of the chair. “She can’t walk on it, so I offered to help her so she could keep working over the next few days. I don’t know how she does it.” 

He really didn’t. He was at her workshop at the crack of dawn and she put him straight to work. He never anticipated that Piper, laid back and fun loving, would be such a hardass when it came to her craft. She never showed it. He emptied and filled machines. Then she sent him out to gather raw material that she couldn’t go out and gather herself. He’d turned his nose up at the pickaxe she’d given him, but he soon realized that it was the only way to get any of the things she’d asked for. His arms were still aching and a part of him doubted he’d be able to lift them in the morning.

While he did that, she was still working on her long list of commissions at her desk. He had no idea how she managed to juggle gathering her own supplies and making things out of them too. He was exhausted and he’d only been working a day, but this was Piper’s reality. He only got away when he did because he had to come home and watch after Ginger. He couldn’t even fathom what would have happened if he’d stayed longer. One of the Civil Corps members may have had to tote his unconscious body back home.

“How did she hurt herself?”

Gust waved her off. “In the old WOW Industries or something. We bumped into each other while I was searching for hibiscus flowers and she offered to help.” Ginger only gave a solemn nod at that. She knew how important those flowers were. He clutched the pillow a little tighter to his chest, like it would stop his heart from pounding out of his chest. “I should have said something sooner, but she insisted on helping me. So, I decided to help her with her endeavors for the next few days. That’s all.”

“Is that all?” Ginger cocked her head to the side and a small smile flutter across her face. She looked at him with such a gentle expression. He didn’t know what it meant. It made him uncomfortable. “That’s very noble of you. I’m sure Piper is relieved to have your help while she’s injured.”

“I was barely any help.”

Ginger only chuckled. “Did she ask you to come back tomorrow?”

Gust shook his head and rolled onto his back. He watched the ceiling fan rotate lazily overhead. He traced the orbit with his eyes. “She didn’t have to,” he admitted after a moment, “I told her I would help her until her ankle was better and I plan on keeping that promise.”

“I like this new Gust.”

He turned his attention back to Ginger, brow furrowed. “What?” Ginger folded her hands neatly in her lap and shrugged. It wasn’t an answer and that was mildly irritating for him. What was that supposed to mean? “I’m not a new Gust.”

“I disagree.” She stood up and tucked her book under the crook of her arm. “I thought something was different about you recently, but after tonight I think I now know what that is.” Gust straightened in his seat. What did she know? Before he could press, she was heading out of the room and towards the staircase. “I’ll let you get some rest. I’m sure it’ll be a long day tomorrow.”

Like that, he was left alone with his thoughts, which was a dangerous place for him to be. He had no idea what Ginger meant. How was he any different? He was still him. He didn’t feel any different. In fact, he felt very much the same and that’s what irritated him. Ginger had to be wrong. He was still Gust. Rude, crass, and standoffish. He found it very hard to believe that anyone would ever like this version of himself.

↢↢↢↣↣↣

“Have you eaten?” 

Piper offered a mumbled response as she continued working on Minister Lee’s commission for a batch of new talismans. He wanted enough for the whole town, and she’d been working on them for over two hours. Before that, she’d been hard wiring a new desk lamp for Mei. The goggle marks were still embedded across the bridge of her nose. He doubted she’d taken any breaks between the projects. 

This was his third day at the workshop and in that time he’d really seen how Piper operated. It was appalling to say the least. She never took breaks. She rarely stopped for meals. He’d taken it upon himself on more than one occasion to slip her a glass of water, just to remind her to drink something. Still, she worked diligently and she showed no signs of changing her ways. Honestly, he wondered how she’d survived this long without someone to force her to stop and take a breath.

“You need to eat.”

“I’ll order something from the Round Table.”

“Why waste the money? Don’t you have something around here?” He glanced around her workshop. There was a small kitchen in the corner. It had a stove, fridge, and a small sink, all of which looked like they went untouched. “I’ve seen the vegetable garden you keep out back. Don’t you keep any of the produce?”

“I do.” Her fingers worked deftly as they wrapped red cord around another engraved stone. It seemed like a mechanical response at this point, but still she didn’t look up from her work. “But I don't know how to cook. So I normally eat them raw.”

Gust blinked at her in disbelief. “You don’t know how to cook?” He massaged the bridge of his nose and sighed. This woman. If she didn’t know how to cook, how had she not shriveled away to nothing. She really was hopeless. “But you live alone? How have you survived this long?”

“The Round Table,” she tossed another talisman on the pile, “and the unadulterated kindness of Sophie and Emily. Without them, I might have starved.” She grabbed another piece of stone and began carving away at its surface. It’s like they were discussing the weather and not the fact that she wasted all her money on take out.

Gust shook his head at her. “No wonder you can’t afford that next plot of land, you’re wasting your gols on take out.” She only grunted in response, too engrossed in her work to really hear him. He clucked his tongue and made a beeline for the kitchen. He knelt down and opened the cooler box. Hopefully she had something he could work with. He was surprised to find it well-stocked. Meat and fish were neatly packaged on one shelf. No doubt boons from her adventures. She had an array of vegetables from her garden. There were even fresh eggs and milk, no doubt from Emily and Sophie. He rolled his eyes and started pulling ingredients from the fridge. Fine. If she refused to take care of herself, he’d do it for her.

He regarded the splay of ingredients on the counter. Blade fish, meat, palm jujube, and rock salt. He had been craving bacon fish rolls for a few weeks now, but he’d been too busy to find the time to make it. At least now he had an excuse. And he’d be feeding Piper in the process. Two birds with one stone. He swept his hair back into a ponytail and got straight to work.

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like? I’m cooking.” Gust didn’t even look up from the frying pan as he laid out the thin strips of bacon. They sizzled softly and the smell of cooked meat was enough to make his mouth water. Normally, he didn’t have much of an appetite, but all the manual labor was making him hungrier than usual.

“Yeah, I can see that, but why?”

“Because it was obvious that you weren’t going to feed yourself.” He sniffed and sprinkled a little rock salt over the bacon. They only needed to be seared before he took them off and rolled them over the blade fish and palm jujube, so he had to keep his attention on the pan. “So I’m making us lunch. You’re going to stop working and we’re going to eat like civilized human beings.”

Piper snorted. “I’m not a child.”

Gust visibly bristled, but he kept his eyes trained on the sizzling pan. Don’t let the bacon burn. That’s all he needed to focus on. He didn’t need to indulge her. But of course, his mouth moved faster than his brain. “Well, then don’t act like one.” He sighed. This happened every time they spoke. “If you’re going to neglect to take care of yourself, someone’s gotta do it.”

Piper had stopped working now. She sat in her chair, knees tucked under her chin as she regarded Gust with pensive expression. “I’ve managed this long, haven’t I?”

Gust rolled his eyes. “Barely. I had no idea it was this bad.” He clucked his tongue and pulled the pan off the heat. “You don’t even know how to cook, ridiculous.” Piper chuckled and spun in her seat, but Gust failed to see the humor. These were fundamental building blocks of staying healthy, how could she just brush them off like they were nothing. It made his heart ache. 

They didn’t speak as he busied himself with preparing the rest of the meal. Piper didn’t press and returned back to her work after a minute or two. A comfortable silence settled between them, it almost seemed natural. It was quick work, finishing up the bacon rolls, it was almost second nature for him. Cooking came easy to him. Much like painting, it was a form of creation. Gust always needed to be creating. It’s the only time he ever felt some sense of relief and purpose.

“Time for lunch.”

Neither said anything as they settled around her rickety kitchen table. The front of her coveralls were covered in stone dust, but Gust didn’t bother to comment. The bacon roll was good. It was such a simple recipe, but it always hit the spot every time he made it. Gust couldn’t ignore the way she watched him as he ate. The pensive expression was back as she nibbled at her lower lip. She barely touched her food.

“Are you going to eat or not?”

Piper regarded the plate in front of her, a soft flush blossoming across her cheeks. “I will, I will, but I have a question first.” He hummed around a mouth full of bacon fish roll. He couldn’t imagine a question so dire that she wouldn’t eat, but he stayed quiet. “Why were you looking for the hibiscus flowers?” Gust almost choked on his food. He swallowed thickly and it slid down his throat, settling in his stomach like lead. “Why was it so important that you find them?”

Gust considered her question. He stared down at his plate and the hunger he’d been feeling dissipated. He didn’t doubt that Piper knew about his mother’s death, but he doubted she knew how much her death had affected him. He could tell her, but then he’d be breaking down a wall he’d spent a long time building. He didn’t know if he could bear her condolences or Light forbid her pity. The pitying stares of the town had played a large role in his leaving in the first place. He didn’t want to endure that with Piper, of all people. 

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“No, no, Iー” he swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in his throat, “it was my mother’s favorite flower.” His voice was small, but firm. He fiddled absently with the watch on his wrist. “I try to gather them while they’re in season, so I can drop some off at her grave for her birthday.”

Piper’s expression softened. “That’s really sweet of you.” She reached across the table and took his hand. “As soon as my ankle is better, I’ll make sure you get those flowers. I promise.” She squeezed and he felt it in his chest. He tried to keep his breath even, but it was a struggle. “Thank you for sharing that with me.” Her fingers slipped away and Gust found himself wishing they hadn’t. He really liked the feeling of her hand in his.

She speared her fork into the fish roll and stuffed it into her mouth. Her eyes rolled back in her head and groaned. “Peach’s pants, this is amazing.”

And just like that, the topic was dropped. She didn’t pry into his affairs. She didn’t force him to talk about his feelings or offer empty condolences. She just let it be. He was so happy, he could have cried. Gust took a shaky breath and turned back to his meal. “Maybe I’ll make something for you again sometime.”

↢↢↢↣↣↣

Gust made her lunch the next day. He was only slightly embarrassed to admit that he’d spent his evening pouring over cooking books to find a recipe Piper might like. Ginger had noticed, but she’d been merciful enough not to comment on it. They were currently seated at her rickety kitchen table. Piper had become much more receptive to taking breaks with the promise of a home cooked meal. He’d settled on salmon fried rice today.

“What do you do for fun?” Piper arched an eyebrow at him as she chewed her food thoughtfully. She’d already devoured half of her plate, which Gust took as a good sign. “I feel like in the time we’ve known each other, you know a lot more about me than I know about you.”

Piper snorted. “And who’s fault is that?”

“Just answer the question.”

“Well, if you’re asking about my frivolous activities, I don’t have a whole lot of time to indulge in them these days,” Piper settled back in her seat, “but I did do boxing when I was back in Barnarock.” He must have done a poor job at hiding the surprise on his face because she took a few jabs at the air in front of her. “I was good too.” She added with a pointed look in his direction and Gust threw up his hands, relenting. He wasn’t sure why he was so surprised. Piper was pretty firmly built. When he’d carried her back to her workshop, he felt the firm contours of her upper arms.

“But you’re so even tempered?”

“And why do you think that is?” she asked with a crooked smile, “I take out my aggression on Sam when we meet up and spar.” She tapped her temple thoughtfully. “Can’t be losing your temper, if you know you get to kick someone’s ass three times a week.” She shrugged. “It’s therapeutic for me, I guess.”

Gust bit back a smile. “I knew you were able to handle yourself in a dangerous situation,” he gathered another mouthful of rice on his spoon, “but I would have never guessed that you were this well-equipped for the job.”

Piper sighed. “Well, to be honest, I didn’t think those dangerous situations would come with the job,” she cradled her cheek in the palm of her hand, “don’t let them know, but I feel like I’m often doing the Civil Corps job for them these days. Like, why is it always me, ya know? I never see Higgins getting trapped in a cave with ancient bloodthirsty AIs.” She laughed, but it sounded strained and Gust noticed immediately. “But whatever, I’m just glad people can turn to me in a crisis.”

Gust frowned at her. She seemed sincere enough. She prided herself on being dependable, but her usual nonchalance was missing, but he didn’t point it out. Piper didn’t pry into his business, he should extend the same courtesy. “My lips are sealed.” He mimicked the zipping of his lips and Piper laughed. This one sounded far more genuine and it made his heart flutter in his chest. It was worth the internal loathing. Light, that was so lame, he was becoming his father.

“Now, you have to answer my question though.” She leaned across the table and Gust found himself leaning closer as well. Where did you learn to cook? This is amazing.” She gestured to the plate in front of her. “You could give Django a run for his money if you wanted to.”

“I learned when I lived with my Master in Atara,” Gust said simply, “it was an enlightening experience.”

Piper ‘oo-ed’ teasingly as she took a sip of her red tea. He was beginning to think that red tea had replaced the blood in her veins, she drank it so often. “I feel like that’s just a nice way of saying she made you her bitch and had you do all the cooking.” Gust pursed his lips at her, but he made no attempt to correct her. There was nothing to correct. She smirked. “Yeah, I thought so. That tends to be the case with those apprenticeships, you do the bitchwork so your Master doesn’t have to, right?”

“I learned a lot from Vera during my time with her.”

“Well, obviously, look at you. You’re talented and successful,” She waved him off with a swipe of her hand. Gust wanted to argue, but she didn’t give him the chance as she continued, “I just know there’s a lot of hoops to jump through before you actually get to learn something, so more power to you. I consider myself a pretty patient person, but I wasn’t patient enough to deal with that kind of bullshit.”

Gust straightened in his seat. “Wait, did you study in Atara?”

“Study is a strong word,” she smirked around the rim of her glass, “but yes, I tried to gain an education in Atara, but I dropped out after a year or two. Not my proudest moment, but the scholarly life wasn’t exactly my calling.”

“What did you study?” He would have never guessed that she studied in Atara like him. Piper was unintelligent. Quite the opposite, she knew how to hold a conversation and Gust always enjoyed speaking with her. He could admit that to himself now. He enjoyed her company.

“Political science,” another sip of her drink, “I wanted to be on the committee for the Free Cities at one point. Settle conflicts. Help people. Maybe even stop our war with Duvos.” She shook her head. “In short, I was naive and a dumbass. I apprenticed with one of Atara’s political tycoons and realized pretty quickly why things weren’t getting better. No one wanted to put in the effort to make it better, so neither did I. I dropped out shortly thereafter.”

Gust blinked. Politics. Of all the degrees, she’d taken an interest in the field his father so desperately wanted him to study. He supposed irony was cruel like that. He gave her a thin smile. “That is surprising.” He leaned a little closer across the table and she didn’t shy away. He regarded her hands. They were covered in grease and the nails had been bitten down to the nail bed. The hands of a hard worker. “I figured you would have studied carpentry considering your skill set.”

Piper tugged sheepishly at a loose strand of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. “About that. I actually never considered carpentry before coming to Portia. This was kind of a worst case scenario for me and I was in a pretty desperate place when I made the decision.” Gust frowned at her. She never planned on coming to Portia. They were more alike than he’d thought. “Don’t get me wrong though, I don’t regret coming here now. I’m happier than I thought I’d be.”

Gust swallowed the bitter taste that had risen in his mouth. At least one of them was. “You are?”

Piper nodded and cradled her cheek in the palm of her hand. “There’s a lot of great people in this town, it makes it all worthwhile.” She reached forward and offered him an open palm, he took without a second thought. Grease stains aside, he liked the way her calloused hands felt under his finger tips. He’d found comfort in tracing them with his fingers. “And believe it or not you’re one of them.”

Gust snorted. “A lot of people would beg to differ.”

“Well, those people can pound sand,” Piper said with a shrug, “they don’t get to see the good sides of you.” She looked at him in earnest. It made Gust’s heart swell in his chest. He supposed she had a point. His good sides were often overshadowed by his shortcomings, but he was happy to hear someone had bothered to venture into the shadows to see them. He wasn’t sure if those good sides were worth the effort, but Piper seemed to think so. That was a small consolation at the very least.

He gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand. This time she didn’t let go. “Thank you Piper.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy!


	8. Alone

All good things must come to an end. Piper’s ankle got better and she no longer needed his help around the workshop. So, Gust returned to his drafting table and things should have gone back to normal. Except, they didn’t. He had come to enjoy the days he spent with Piper. The lunches they shared over her too small dining table, their civil debates about art and politics, even the lack of manual labor left him feeling a little empty. His days crawled by now that he wasn’t constantly moving. He’d stare at his half finished designs with a mind full of muddled thoughts that barely made sense to him. He didn’t understand how a few days could cause such a drastic change in him.

Piper continued to stop by the office and those were brief moments of clarity for him. He was only slightly embarrassed to realize they were his favorite part of his work day. She had become a bright spot in his life. A giddy excitement would flare in his chest whenever he heard their office door jingle, hoping it would be her. She’d managed to track down a solution for the hibiscus flowers. Nora had found a seed in the soil sample she had collected and Piper had taken it upon herself to grow a patch herself. Gust had been speechless when he told her. She really had kept her promise for him. A few weeks later, right before his mother’s birthday, she showed up with two bundles of hibiscus flowers. 

“Guess what bloomed last night?”

Gust stared at the bouquets. The sight alone was enough to bring tears to his eyes. He wiped them away with the back of his hand before they could roll down his cheeks. He hoped Piper didn’t notice. “You actually did it.” The fractured edge to his voice was almost enough to give way to a sob, but he held it together.

“I told you I would.”

He didn’t respond. He couldn’t. It was the only way to keep himself from crying. He stood up from the draft table and wrapped his arms around Piper. He made sure not to squish the flowers in her arms as he pulled her close to his chest. She didn’t push away, instead she buried her face in the crook of his neck and hummed softly. They didn’t say anything. They didn’t have to. He knew Piper understood what he was trying to say, or at least, he hoped she understood.

When they finally pulled apart, Piper offered him one of the bundles of flowers. He took it in his arms and ran his fingers over the petals. They were silken under the pads of his fingers and a sweet smell washed over him. They were real. This was real. He hadn’t failed his mother. “You’re right on time,” he said after a moment, “her birthday is tomorrow.”

Piper beamed up at him. “Must have been fate.”

Gust hummed in response and set the bundle of flowers off to the side. He regarded the bouquet that remained in her arms curiously. “What are you going to do with the other bundle?”

Piper clutched the flowers a little closer to her chest. A soft blush blossomed across her cheeks. “About that,” her voice was small, “I was wondering if I could join you tomorrow? I want to pay my respects to your mom as well.”

He blinked at her. She wanted to come with him. He hadn’t been anticipating that. A lump was beginning to form in his throat and he tried to swallow it, but it stayed firmly in place. A part of him wanted to say no. It was an intimate moment and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to break down this particular wall just yet. He’d worked so hard to build them. He couldn’t just tear them down like that. Still, as he searched Piper’s face and saw the sincere look in her eyes, he felt himself wanting to say yes.

“Why would you want to come with me?”

“Because it’s important to you.” That surprised him, but before he could respond, she continued, “I also want to be there for you. Unless you’d rather be alone?” 

Alone. Gust’s heart sank. He was kinda tired of being alone all the time. It was tiring and it only made the hollow pit in his stomach more unbearable. He had spent the last four years at his mother’s grave alone. It was never a pleasant experience. He’d sit at the foot of her grave and ponder the what-if’s. What if she hadn’t died? What if he hadn’t run away? What if Ginger hadn’t gotten sick? What if? He never left with any answers. It was frustrating. His world always felt a little darker when he left. He hadn’t even considered the possibility of sharing that moment with someone else. Would he leave feeling a little more satisfied if there was someone else there?

He glanced back at the flowers he’d set on the table. Their petals were white like fallen snow. The tight thrum of his heartstrings made him wince. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to let someone in, just this once. Piper waited patiently, arms still wrapped around the beautiful bouquet. She bounced anxiously on the balls of her feet as she waited for his answer.

Gust took a deep breath and swallowed his pride. Just this once, he’d let someone in. “I’ll come pick you up tomorrow morning. Don’t be late.”

↢↢↢↣↣↣

It was always cold on his mother’s birthday. Without fail, the weather always made a sharp turn around then. The bitter chill would settle deep in his bones and leave him shivering by the end of the day, but it never deterred him. He always went to his mother’s grave, regardless of the weather. Gust burrowed a little deeper behind his thick woolen scarf, trying to shield his cheeks from the sharp wind that whipped through the air. There was no sun that morning, instead thick grey clouds hung heavy in the air, teeming with the promise of snow.

He and Piper walked quietly up the path and towards the graveyard. Neither said anything, they hadn’t since their brief greeting when he’d picked her up. His grip tightened around the bouquet in his arms. He cradled it to his chest like a precious child. He still couldn’t believe that Piper had gone to all that trouble for him. He could see her, just barely, out of the corner of his eye. She had a somber expression on her face, not unlike the one he was wearing. It was strange, seeing her look so serious. He much preferred her smiles.

They pushed through the graveyard gate. The grating creak shattered the tenuous silence and left his heart reeling, but he tried not to think about it as they made their way towards his mother’s gravestone. It was a simple headstone, made of polished white marble. Time had begun to take its toll. It was beginning to deteriorate around the edges and a black grime lined the bottom. Gust sniffed, he’d have to come back and clean it another day. He set his flowers at the base of her headstone and took a seat across from hit. Piper followed suit, still saying nothing.

They sat in silence for a while. Gust traced the floral engravings along the edge of the stone with his eyes. He often did this to avoid the creeping thoughts that always lingered at the back of his mind. Questions that left his heart aching and feeling inadequate. He would imagine life if his mother hadn’t died. His mother was a creative spirit who often got lost in her own thoughts. She was blunt and no nonsense. She kept his father in line. But most importantly, she loved everyone so fiercely. The entire town loved her. It had been a tragedy when she’d died and when she died, so did a part of Gust. 

If she was still here, he never would have fled to Atara. He would have stayed and grown up with Ginger. They would have been close, far closer than they were now. He would have been a brother that she could be proud of. She would have had someone to rely. He might have trained under his father, worked as his assistant until he decided to run for mayor himself. His father wouldn’t have replaced him with Mint. But still, even if his mother had lived and he hadn’t left, would he have been happier, or would he still feel empty inside?

If he hadn’t left. He wouldn’t have discovered his love of architecture. It was a passion that burned deep in his soul and kept him going most days. His master, Vera, taught him a lot. She played a major role in building his dreams and ambitions. She showed him the role art played in history. It gave him something to strive for. That never would have happened if he’d stayed in Portia. He wouldn’t have met Albert and they wouldn’t have built their business together. Albert would have never come to Portia and A&G wouldn’t exist. Portia would have been stuck, running it’s wheels in mud and never amounting to anything. He would have been a completely different person if he had stayed, but he wasn’t entirely convinced he would have been better. He wasn’t convinced he would have been happier.

He felt fingers slipping over his and it sent him jolting back to reality. He blinked and turned his attention to Piper. She stared ahead at the gravestone in front of them, unwavering. Her hand was on his and she was rubbing soothing circles in the palm of his hand. She’d scrubbed her hands clean today, but a part of him missed the grime under her fingernails. He sniffed and realized that there was a wetness staining his cheeks. He’d been crying. He hadn’t even noticed. He cleared his throat softly and wiped away the offensive tears with his free hand.

He wasn’t sure how long they sat there, her hand in his, but her presence kept him grounded. It kept him from spiraling too far into his dark thoughts. Every time he’d start, she’d simply squeeze his hand and he’d come right back to reality. He realized how desperately he needed that. Eventually, small flecks of snow began to fall around them. They drifted through the air and started to accumulate, but Gust didn’t care. They sat until the sun disappeared on the horizon and the bitter cold turned near unbearable. 

Piper shivered beside him, the first indication that she was anything more than a stone statue at his side. He tore his gaze away from the grave and regarded her. The tip of her nose and cheeks had flushed pink and her breath came out in small whirling clouds of frost. She was cold. Gust mentally kicked himself. Of course, she was cold. They’d been sitting outside for hours and she never complained, not once.

“We should head out.”

Piper wrenched her gaze away from the gravestone and looked at him. Her blue eyes almost glowed in the dim light of the graveyard. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. He’d stayed far longer than he normally did. Usually, he could only handle his thoughts for so long, but with Piper it hadn’t been so overwhelming. “I’m cold.” It was a lie. The temperature didn’t even register for him, but he could feel her hand trembling in his. He knew she would be too nice to say anything though. “I’ll walk you home.”

They stood and Gust unraveled his scarf. “What are you doing?” He didn’t respond as he began to wind it around her neck. She’d only worn a winter coat, no hat or gloves. He could only imagine how cold she really was. The red in her cheeks darkened, but she didn’t argue as she buried her nose in the thick blue fabric. “Thanks.” Her voice was muffled and she looked uncharacteristically sheepish. It was almost cute.

Gust hummed in response as they made their way out of the graveyard and towards her workshop. Gust stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his coat. Now that they weren’t holding hands, he could feel the chill beginning to work into his joints. She’d kept him warm. Another silence settled between them, it seemed to be a theme as of late, but Gust didn’t seem to mind. Their silences were just as good as their conversation. He felt comfortable with her.

They stopped outside her front gate and Piper turned to look at him. “Thank you for letting me come with you.”

Gust blinked. She was thanking him. That seemed backwards to him. “I should be thanking you. That…” He paused. His tongue darted between his lips to wet them. “Having you there was really helpful.”

“I get it.” She teased the fraying edge of the scarf with her fingers. “I lost my mom when I was a kid too.” Gust’s breath hitched. She lost her mother too. He’d only ever heard about her father. He used to live in Portia, so of course he knew about him. She never spoke about her mother, or her parents in general. It wasn’t something that seemed to define her. It didn’t swallow her whole and leave her a bitter husk, like him. His stomach churned with a bit of jealousy. 

“I don’t know your situation, but I know how I felt. I was always wondering howー”

“Things would be different if they were still around?” His voice was small, barely above a whisper.

Piper gave him a sad smile and he knew that she knew what he was talking about. “Exactly and I realized a few years ago that you can’t get caught up in that. You need to move forward, but it can be hard.” She reached forward and wrapped her arms around him and Gust found himself melting into it. He buried his nose in her hair, the lingering smell of cinnamon soap clung to her. 

“If it ever feels like too much, I’m here. You can come to me any time.” And she meant it and he believed her. “You don’t need to go through it alone.”

“I don’t want to.” And he meant it. “Not anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter, but these parts definitely needed to stand alone. I hope you enjoy!


	9. The Winter Solstice

Gust had noticed over the last few months that Piper enjoyed collecting various pieces of artwork to decorate her home. She had a lovely collection of framed works hanging over her bed, all of which she was fairly proud of. Most of them had been found while she was digging around in the mines or on one of her more dangerous adventures, so they were hard earned. She told him she was always looking for new pieces to add to her wall and that gave Gust an idea. The winter solstice was coming up in less than a week and he wanted to give her something as a thanks for all that she’d done for him. It was the least he could do, but he was struggling.

He’d already ruined multiple canvases while trying to make something worth giving her. They littered his room like fallen soldiers. A graveyard of half-finished paintings that made his heart sink anytime he looked at them. Nothing was clicking. A part of him wished he’d come up with this idea while there were still leaves on the trees. Piper had a penchant for landscapes, which were his specialty, but the season was working against him. Winter was uninspiring. The landscapes that he enjoyed painting were bleak and void of any of the usual creative sparks. He loved painting colors and nature, but it was so hard when everything was covered in a thick blanket of snow. 

So, he had to look within to find the inspiration for her painting. That was easier said than done. Gust stared at the blank canvas in front of him. He wasn’t even sure where to begin. He settled back in his seat and raked his fingers through his hair. A growl of frustration rumbled deep in his chest. This was hopeless. There was no way he was going to get something finished before the solstice. He might as well cut his losses and give up now. Piper would never have to know he made the effort, so he had nothing to feel guilty about.

A soft knock pulled him from his self-pitying thoughts and he turned just as Ginger was slipping into his bedroom. He rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the plain canvas. “Ya know,” he said with an irritable click of his tongue, “what’s the point of knocking if you’re just going to walk in anyway?”

Ginger only shrugged as she settled on the foot of his pristine bed. “If I waited for you to respond, you’d never let me in.” 

He paused, trying to find some kind of counter argument to that, but he couldn’t find one. He rarely responded to knocks on his door, especially when he was in the throws of a creative flow. It was easy to lose himself in a painting and close out the rest of the world. That’s how he preferred it, just him and his art. She knew him a lot better than he gave her credit for. “Fair point.”

“What are you working on?”

“What does it look like I’m working on?”

Ginger snorted. “At the moment, it doesn’t look like anything.” 

Gust grimaced. She wasn’t wrong. It was simply a blank canvas. It’s bleakness mocked him and had for the last hour and a half. He went to reach for a paintbrush, but found himself unable to choose one. The paints he’d thrown onto his palette were beginning to dry. Damn it all to the dark ages. What a waste of nice paint. “You’d be correct in that sentiment. It’s nothing.”

“Creative block?”

If only it were that easy. He had plenty of ideas, but he’d eventually deem them unworthy of his effort at some point. It needed to be breathtaking. He wasn’t the best with words these days, but he knew a picture is worth a thousand. It needed to mirror everything he wanted to say and maybe even a little bit more.

“It needs to be perfect.”

“Why is this painting so special?” Ginger fell back on his bed with a huff and he heard the creak of his bed springs under her weight. It probably ruined the smoothness of his bedspread and he grimaced. He’d have to fix that once she left. “You never care about how your paintings turn out. They’re just going to join the rest of the collection in the living room.”

“This particular piece is going to someone else.”

“Is it for Piper?”

Gust sputtered and turned to look at her with wide eyes. “How did you know?”

Ginger propped herself onto her elbows to meet his gaze, her brow knitted in mild confusion. “How could I not? You’re always hanging out with her these days. Who else would it be?” 

Gust scoffed. He was not _always_ hanging out with her. Since her ankle had healed, they’d gone back to their weekly game nights at the Round Table with Sam and _occasionally_ he’d go over to her workshop and make her dinner. If he didn’t, she’d go back to living on raw vegetables and take out from the Round Table. He couldn’t, in all good conscience, let that happen. So, he’d show up at her doorstep once or twice a week with a new recipe for them to try together. He’d even started showing her some simple cooking tips to get her more comfortable in the kitchen. They hung out a normal amount for two friends, didn’t they? This is what Ginger wanted. For him to make friends and hang out with them.

“Why are you so worried about what the painting looks like,” Ginger continued when he didn’t respond, “she’ll probably love anything you give her. Just like she loved the addition to her workshop.”

Her workshop addition. That seemed like such a long time ago. He remembered the look of sheer glee on her face when it was finally completed. She’d even taken a photo of it using the camera she’d commandeered from the Research Center. She’d given him a copy of the photo to celebrate his first original design in Portia. It may or may not be displayed proudly over his drafting table for him to look at anytime he was in a rut, but that was beside the point. This was a gift.

“This is different,” Gust reasoned evenly. 

He plucked a paintbrush from his pile and inspected the bristles. Maybe he’d paint a sunset, she didn’t have one of those in her collections yet. His eyes fell on to a set of paintings off to his left. All three depicted a sunset of some kind. A muddled mess of orange, pinks, and purples. Despite the vibrant colors, they left him feeling empty and uninspired. It was sloppy brushwork, even for him. His lip curled. Okay, maybe he wouldn’t be painting a sunset.

“I want her to love it.”

“She’ll love it because you made it.”

Gust cursed under his breath. When she said it like that, it seemed so simple. She had a point. Of course, she had a point. Piper didn’t have a mean bone in her body, she’d take anything he made for her and genuinely love it. Deep down, he knew that, but it didn’t change the fact that he wanted it to be amazing.

He sighed and nibbled on the end of his paintbrush. “I guess you have a point.”

“Of course I do,” Ginger rolled her eyes, “I seem to be the only one with any sense around this house.” Gust smiled despite himself. She really was. He always thought she lived a sheltered life because she was cooped up in the house all the time, but she was a lot more perceptive than people gave her credit for. She wanted to understand people and they seemed to understand her in kind. It made him kind of jealous. Why didn’t he get to inherit social skills and general likability?

“You really think she’ll love it?”

“I _know_ she’ll love it.”

Gust nodded, then nodded again. Ginger was right. Piper was going to love whatever he made, he just needed to take the first step and commit to something. He turned back to his canvas and for the first time in days he felt the sparks of creativity buzzing at the back of his mind. It wasn’t unlike the first time he’d designed something for Piper. The memory made him smile. He had an idea and he was excited to get started.

↢↢↢↣↣↣

The Winter Solstice was a time to remember the past and feel grateful for a brighter future. New beginnings, that was the theme of the day. It wasn’t Gust’s favorite holiday for obvious reasons. The last thing Gust wanted to think about was the past and his future had yet to be bright, so there was nothing to reflect on. It was part of the reason he disliked the day of Memories as well, but that was more palatable than this. He rarely found a reason to participate in the jolly spirit of the solstice.

The entire town had congregated just outside the outer walls of the city. They’d just finished up the hot pot, which was the main attraction of the day. When all was said and done, the meal ended up being entirely too spicy for his tastes, but others seemed to enjoy it. Arlo and Remington to be exact. They seemed to be the culprits of the spice. He was convinced their only contribution had been hot peppers, but Gust didn’t call them out on it. Instead, he’d choked down what he could before passing off his half finished meal to one of them.

Now, they were ending the night of celebration with a few rounds of snowball battles. An event that Gust would _not_ be participating in. He never participated. Who in their right mind would find joy in being pelted with snow and ice. That was just asking to get sick. Not even Ginger’s pout would get him to cave on that one. So, he’d wait on the sidelines. He settled back along the wall of the city with a huff and watched as the rest of the town prepared for the games.

He scanned the crowds. He’d yet to see Piper, which was surprising. He assumed they’d run into each other during the hot pot, but she’d been strangely absent during the main festivities. Not that he’d been searching the whole time, on edge, that would be ridiculous. However, her absence did little for the churning in his stomach. It felt silly, but he’d been carrying her present the entire time, which had earned him more than a few questioning glances. He had hoped to get this part over with right away, but here he was.

“Happy Winter Solstice!”

Piper materialized at his side, seemingly out of nowhere, a wide smile stretched across her face. She looked absolutely radiant. Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold and her hair was loose around her shoulders. Gust noted that she was wearing the scarf he’d given to her. He thought it was ridiculous for her to be working outside in only a coat, so he’d let her keep it. He saw her wearing it anytime she was out and about. The sight was enough to make him smile. She looked so happy.

“Happy Winter Solstice,” he echoed.

“I’m glad I didn’t miss you,” she said with a sigh of relief, “I thought you would have left by now. I know the snowball battle isn’t exactly your thing.”

“Well,” Gust clucked his tongue at her, “I didn’t see you at the hot pot.”

Piper rolled her eyes as she settled beside him. “Oh, don’t even get me started on that,” she drawled, “your father needed me to finish a few things for the new hot springs resort. He wants everything ready to install by spring, so I had to finish those before I came out.”

Gust arched an eyebrow at her. This woman was a workaholic. He doubted she even understood the concept of a holiday and taking a break. “I don’t think he meant for you to work on them today.”

Piper chuckled. “Yeah, probably not, but I have a hard time saying no.” Gust just shook his head at her, but he was smiling, so he doubted it looked as irritated as he intended. “But I’m glad I made it. I wanted to give you something.” She pulled something out from behind her back and shoved it into his hands. “Just to celebrate our friendship, ya know?”

He regarded the rectangular shaped package, wrapped haphazardly in brown paper and held together by fraying twine. It was almost comical, considering the care she normally took in her constructions. This looked like it was wrapped by a toddler. It was book shaped, but he couldn’t imagine what book could possibly top _Structural Dimension Theory_. He pulled at the twine and watched it unravel. He held his breath in anticipation as he pulled back the paper. 

His assumption had been correct. It was another book, but this one looked brand new. It was freshly bound in leather with intricate geometric engravings that created a border around the title. _Five Hundred Creative Designs_. His breath hitched. He’d heard about this book. It was relatively new on the market and critics were raving about it. It was a must-read for any respectable architect. He remembered seeing it displayed in Django’s prize cabinet at the Round Table. The amount of Knight Badges it had cost had been insane. Even with their weekly game nights and his flawless dart throwing, he was nowhere near being able to afford it. 

“How did you get your hands on this?” He ran his fingers over the engravings, mesmerized. “Did you get this at the Round Table?”

Piper tugged sheepishly at her bangs. “I’ve been saving my badges for over two years. I didn’t know what to spend them on, but then I saw that book and figured it was a good investment.” She nibbled at her lower lip, eyes looking pointedly off to the side. The flush of her cheeks had darkened to a deep claret red. “There were a lot of designs in there that I thought you’d like. They’re different like your work.”

“And you like different.”

She nodded. “I like different.”

Gust’s heart swelled in his chest. For a moment, he was afraid it would burst. She’d managed to catch him off guard again with an incredibly thoughtful gift. He only hoped his own gift would measure up. His smile widened, just a fraction as he tucked the book under his arm. He couldn’t wait to go home and pour over the images. “Thank you, Piper.”

She beamed at him. “Of course,” she said, “I hope it inspires you to create some wonderful structures.”

“I got something for you too,” Gust said as he gestured to the canvas at his feet.

“Oh, thank Light. I was going to say, I know you’re an artist, but carrying around a canvas seems a bit excessive.” He gave her an unamused look, but she seemed unfazed.

Gust rolled his eyes as he handed it to her. “Just look at it.”

Piper didn’t need to be told twice. Gust held her breath as she flipped it around to regard his work. A small gasp tumbled from her lips. “Oh Gust.” 

Landscapes were normally Gust’s specialty, but he went out on a limb for this piece in particular. It was a painting of Peach Plaza, as if you were entering through the gates of the city. The large stone statue of Peach served as the focal point of the piece, but he hadn’t stopped there. The city center was a flourish of movement. The Civil Corps brats doing their morning run with Paulie. Higgins waited outside the Commerce Building, though he doubted he’d done the look of contempt on his face any justice to the real thing. The Church of Light members chatted with other members of the town, their goods set up in front of the fountain. It was like a snap shot depicting the bustle of everyday life in Portia. He wanted to show Piper the life she’d come to love.

Her eyes were wide as she drank in the details of the painting. She didn’t say anything at first, she only stared at the canvas in her hands. She stared for several minutes and Gust wasn’t sure what to make of her silence. He drummed his fingers anxiously along his thigh as he waited. Did she like it? Maybe it was too simple for her tastes? Maybe he should have painted a sunset after all. Everybody likes a sunset.

“This is beautiful.” Her words came out like breath of air, but he heard them. He heard them and it made his heart skip in his chest. “I can’t wait to put this up in my workshop. I love it.”

“You do?”

She tore her gaze away from the painting long enough to give him a bemused look. “Of course I do, ya dummy.” She then immediately turned her gaze back to the painting and it sucked her in once more. A smile flitted across her face as she ran her fingers lightly over his signature in the corner. “I can’t believe you made this for me.”

“I just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” Gust said as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat, “and I know you like collecting paintings.”

“I already know exactly where this one is going!”

The tension that Gust had been holding in his shoulders melted away. Thank the Light. He’d been stressing over this moment for at least a month, but Ginger had been right. Piper loved it and he had nothing to worry about. He could breathe a sigh of relief. He’d finally done something right.

“I should probably take this home,” Piper said after a moment. She hugged it close to her chest, shielding it from the small flecks of snow that had begun to fall from the sky. “Would you like to walk with me? It’ll probably be more fun than sulking in the cold.”

“You’re probably right.” 

He pushed himself off the wall and together they made their way down the path and towards her workshop. He tried to ignore the giddy feeling that bubbled in the pit of his stomach when he realized they were taking the long way to her place. It was a small thing, but that meant she didn’t mind spending a little more time with him. He watched the colorful llamas as they hopped through the thick snow. It kicked up and around their feet as they danced around each other. Their soft bleats filled the air.

He and Piper chatted amicably, talking about nothing in particular, but Gust enjoyed their nonsensical conversations. He enjoyed a lot of things about Piper these days. He enjoyed the way her nose would scrunch up when she was in the middle of a project. She’d stick out her tongue, just a little as she leaned in real close to her latest commission. It reminded him of himself. He’d do the same thing when he was in the middle of a painting or conceptualizing a new building. He’d found himself staring at her while she worked on more than one occasion. Thankfully, she’d never caught him in the act. He enjoyed her laugh, even if it was normally at his expense. It was light and airy and sent a shiver racing down his spine. There was never any malice behind it, she simply found joy in humor. As of late, he found himself telling lame jokes just to get her to laugh. She always did, so he kept telling them. He could fill a book with the things he enjoyed about spending time with Piper.

“Hey Gust.”

He jolted back to reality. He was no longer watching the llamas, they’d disappeared at some point. Instead he could see the outline of her workshop come into view up ahead. The last thing he remembered was her describing her latest commission project for Carol and Mars, some kind of relic sewing machine. When had he stopped listening? When had she noticed that he wasn’t? He turned to face her, cheeks burning. “Sorry, I must haveー” The rest of his sentence died on his lips as a ball of snow hit him square in the face.

He sputtered and wiped away the snow from his face before it could fall under his sweater. It was too late though. He felt a few chunks slip under his sweater and down his back. He shivered at the sudden chill against his bare skin. They left a trail of goosebumps in their wake. Piper fought back a snicker. She’d propped his canvas against the stone fence that lined the path, turned away to shield it from the carnage. She was already molding another snowball with her hands. “That’s what you get for daydreaming while I’m talking to you.” 

He wrinkled his nose at her. “That was a cheap blow.”

Piper’s eyes sparkled with a mischievous light. It was reminiscent of a look Sam would give him when she was scheming. He didn’t like it. “Well now that you’re paying attention.” She lobbed another ball in his direction, “try to dodge.” He was ready this time, so he tried to spin out of the way. He wasn’t fast enough and it connected with his shoulder. It exploded into a puff of powdery snow that caught the wind and flew back into his face. Snowflakes clung to his eyelashes and he tried to blink them away as Piper laughed. “Too slow.” She was kneeling in the path, already in the middle of making another.

Gust’s expression hardened. Normally he wouldn’t bring himself to such levels, but this had been a surprise assault. He couldn’t stand for that. If Piper wanted to play games, he’d rise to that challenge. They launched into their own personal snow battle.

Snowballs flew through the air. Big ones, small ones, all sizes soaring through the air. Despite his talent with a dart, he tended to aim a little too wide. They’d whiz harmlessly past Piper and land in one of the snow banks behind her. Piper, on the other hand, had a marksman’s precision. Sure, he’d seen her participate in the games a few weeks earlier and she’d been good, but he never anticipated that he’d be on the receiving end of one of her throws. It wasn’t long before Gust was coated in a thin layer of snow and ice, but it didn’t upset him. In fact, he found himself laughing and smiling along with Piper as they ran around to dodge the other’s snowballs. It was fun. Gust was having a fun time.

He realized he was fighting a losing battle, so he changed tactics. He ducked behind the short stone wall that lined the path and darted towards her. Eventually, Gust got close enough to Piper to tackle her into one of the snow banks. She squeaked in surprise as they sank several inches into the snow. It billowed up and around them like flakes in a snow globe. Gust’s chest was heaving from all the laughter as he stared down at her with a triumphant smile. “Who’s the slow one now.”

Piper gave him a crooked smile and she reached up as if she were about to caress his cheeks. His heart jumped into his throat. That mischievous glint in her eyes was back as her fingers curled around the collar of his sweater. With a surprising amount of strength, she was throwing him onto his back. He didn’t even have a chance to react before the wind was knocked out of him. He was breathless as another puff of snow blew up around them.

“Still you.” Her cheeks were still flushed pink and small flecks of snow clung to her loose curls. Her expression had softened as she stared down at him, lips parted ever so slightly. A wisp of frosty breath slipped between them and curled up into the air before dissipating completely.

The heat rose in Gust’s cheeks as her fingers flexed around his collar. She was so close. He could smell her cinnamon soap again. His heart hammered deep in his chest and he could hear the blood rushing around his ears. He could only imagine how red his face was. She watched him, her gaze unwavering. He couldn’t remember if her eyes had always been that striking, but he found himself getting lost in their pool-like depths. It would be so easy for him to lean forward and close the gap between them. His tongue darted out between his lips to wet them. He wondered if she tasted like Red Tea. 

Gust went rigid under her. That was the moment where everything clicked for him. These feelings he’d been battling for the last few months suddenly made a lot more sense. His desire to hold her hand and bask in her energy. The need to make sure she was fed and healthy. The giddy excitement he’d been feeling since she told him he liked his work. None of that was a general fondness for a friend. They were something far more problematic. Dread quickly replaced whatever blissful happiness he’d been feeling and his breath hitched. He’d fallen for Piper. He’d fallen for Piper hard. _Oh no_. Light help him, he was in trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that there's no rhyme or reason to my updates. I work full time, so that can put a damper on the days I want to write and alas, the throws of creativity come at me in waves. But I'm working from home again for a little while, so I will finish this story, even if it kills me. Please enjoy. I appreciate everyone who has left kudos and comments thus far. Know that I see you and I love all of you!


	10. Learning New Things

“I think I’m in trouble.”

Albert didn’t even look up from his pile of paperwork. “Did you and your father get in another spat about designs again? Honestly Gust, I can’t keep playing middle man. He’s your father, you deal with him.” 

Gust heaved a sigh as he sank into the chair across from him. “It’s not my father, Al. It’s Piper.” 

He wasn’t entirely sure what possessed him to come to Albert of all people, but at the time it seemed like the logical choice. He was also pretty damn desperate and he knew he couldn’t go to Ginger for this. He couldn’t bear to look her in the eyes and tell her she’d been right about opening up to people. Especially since it resulted in him catching feelings for someone. She’d gush and Gust couldn’t handle gushing right now. He needed someone with a little more sense, so he’d rather test his luck with the resident playboy. 

Besides, Albert knew Gust and his level of experience when it came to dating, which was none at all. Sure, Gust had had more than a few one night stands. He enjoyed the company of both men and women, but none of them lasted past the first night. He didn’t even cook them breakfast in the morning. Each of them was a perfect stranger. Lack of sexual activity aside, he’d made Piper more than a few meals, so that was already far more intimate than any person he'd been with. So, when it came to real feelings, he was kind of at a loss. Albert already knew all of this, so he’d avoid that awkward conversation.

“Ah Miss Piper,” Albert marked something off on one of the sheets of paper before setting it off to the side, “have you finally realized you’re head over heels for her?”

Gust muffled a groan in the palm of his hand. “Is it that obvious?”

“Plain as the nose on your face, mate,” he drawled absently. He still hadn’t looked up from his paperwork.It was like they were discussing something normal like the weather, not the fact that Gust had never had a crush on anyone in his entire life and he was panicking. How could he be so calm? 

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“You hate when I point out things that are obvious.”

Gust’s heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. He’d managed to keep his composure until he and Piper got to her workshop, but as soon as she was out of sight, he’d run home and locked himself away in his room. It had been a few days since then and Gust had pointedly stayed inside during that time. He tried to paint. It always eased his mind, but he started using blue, like the color of his eyes. So, he stopped painting and chose to read instead. Then he realized his newest book was from Piper and he couldn’t even get past the first paragraph. So, he paced and panicked and then he paced a little more. He spiraled and the one person who had kept him grounded was now the reason for it.

He couldn’t chance seeing her. Not until he’d sorted everything out. All his feelings and thoughts needed to be organized and compartmentalized. But now that he was back at the A&G office it was only a matter of time before they ran into each other. Then what? He wasn’t sure how long he could keep this hidden. Granted, from what Albert had said, he was already doing a pretty lousy job. He started to wonder if she already knew, but then he quickly backpedaled and decided that he didn’t want to consider that possibility. Not yet.

“I’ve been waiting for you to realize it yourself since she gave you that super rare book, or whatever.”

Gust’s expression fell. It had been that long, then how could she not know? He buried his face in his hands. Light, this was a mortifying ordeal. “What am I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know. Confess to her? Doesn’t Portia do that silly heart knot tradition when they want to tell someone how they feel. It’s a little rustic for my tastes, but I’m sure there’s a cute sentiment behind it. Do that.” He waved him off with his hand. “Now I really need to finish this before I meet with Musa this afternoon. Can we talk about your lonely soul and lack of experience later?”

Gust blinked at him. Albert wanted him to confess, just like that. He wasn’t even sure if Piper felt the same way. He couldn’t just confess. Not without some kind of plan beforehand. All things considered, Gust had a few romantic bones in his body. He knew how things should go. He just wasn’t entirely confident that he could pull off said things.

Gust nibbled at his thumbnail as he pushed himself out of his chair and headed up the stairs towards his desk. First, he needed to gauge if she actually liked him in return. He wasn’t about to make a fool of himself and ruin the one genuine friendship he’d made since coming home to Portia. Once he had definitive proof, then he’d do something about it. He couldn’t be hasty with this kind of thing. Much like drafting a new building, it did no good to jump right in without conceptualizing and doing your research first. He had some research to do.

↢↢↢↣↣↣

It had been a little over a month since the Winter Solstice. The seasons were changing and the promise of spring was on the horizon. Finally, Gust had something to look forward to. The snow was beginning to melt and it didn’t hurt to breathe every time Gust ventured outside. He’d even started seeing small plants beginning to poke through some of the flowerbeds outside of his office window. Things were finally looking a little less bleak.

In that month, Gust hadn’t seen any inclination that Piper shared his feelings. She still visited the A&G office daily. They still met for game nights at the Round Table. They even had dinner every so often. Nothing had changed between them and it was driving him insane. A part of him had hoped that something had clicked for her too when they were in that snowbank. Like the threads of fate tugging at both of their heartstrings. A kind of soulmate cliche that left Gust wondering if he was letting Ginger read him too many romance novels. Not only did Piper show no change in character, he was sure Piper couldn’t know that he liked her. Sure, Albert had picked up on it and Gust had the sneaking suspicion that Ginger had as well, but he digressed. If Piper did know, she had an amazing poker face. 

So, things carried on as usual, that is, they had until that evening. It was Friday night, which meant the group was meeting for their weekly game night at the Round Table. Gust had grown to enjoy them and he’d even learned to tolerate Sam and all her _charms_. They’d meet, buy a round of drinks, and play whatever game was open. It was usually darts. This meant Friday nights were usually predictable, but he hadn’t predicted this. 

Piper in a skirt. Not just any skirt, a lovely a line mini skirt that accentuated just how shapely her hips and ass were. She looked stunning. Obviously. But at this point, Gust was so taken with her that even her ratty coveralls were starting to grow on him. This was a different circumstance entirely. Seeing Piper in a skirt left the base of his spine prickling with red hot energy. It did things to him and she had no idea. She’d even been innocent enough to ask if he liked her outfit. He’d responded in the only way he knew how, an indignant huff and generous gulp of his vodka laced drink. If Piper did know he had feelings for her, then she was far more sadistic than he’d given her credit for. 

Gust stared pointedly at the glass in his hand as the group made their way towards a booth near the back of the restaurant. Remington had decided to join in on the festivities that evening, so they decided in lieu of games, they’d have a night of catching up instead. They shuffled into the booth. Remington and Sam sat on one side, while Piper squeezed in next to Gust. Great. This was fine. He had nothing to worry about. He’d avoided the issue of having to stare at her ass while they played darts all night. This was much safer. He could make it through an evening of light conversation and then he could quietly go home. Once he was home, he was free to have all the shameful thoughts he’d like about Piper in the private of his own bedroom. And he’d had multiple in the last few minutes alone. It was enough to bring a flush to his cheeks that wasn’t from the vodka. He could do this though. This would be easy.

“Let’s play a drinking game!”

Gust nearly spat out his drink. He glowered at Sam from over the rim of glass. She couldn’t be serious, but the look on her face told him that she was _absolutely_ serious. He swallowed thickly and set his drink off to the side. “I don’t think so. We’re adults,” he said tightly, “we’re too old for drinking games.”

“Coming from someone who’s probably never been invited to play a drinking game before.” Sam crossed her arms over her chest and leaned across the table. “Is this your first time, pretty boy?”

“Drinking games are for children, _Samantha_.”

Sam narrowed her eyes at him. She hadn’t enjoyed the transition to her full name, but if she was going to use ‘pretty boy’ then Gust was going to fight fire with fire. He was petty enough to get a rise out of her through any means necessary. 

“Did you even have friends when you were a child?”

Gust gave her a thin lipped smile. “I barely have friends now, so what do you think?”

“That’s not true.” Piper placed a hand on his knee and squeezed. The gesture made his heart squeeze in turn and it was suddenly very hard to breathe. “We’re your friends.”

“You’re my friend,” Gust corrected.

“Yet you’re still hanging out with us,” Remington said with a shrug, “so we’re obviously doing something right. Now, are you going to play the game or not?” Gust pursed his lips at him, but Remington looked unfazed as he took a sip of his spicy tea and whiskey. “Please continue.”

“Thank you, Rem, at least someone likes my ideas.” 

She stuck her tongue out at Gust, but he was a little preoccupied at the moment. He realized that Piper’s hand was still on his knee. She rubbed soothing circles with her thumb on the top of his kneecap. She was trying to comfort him, but she’d only succeeded in making him painfully aware of how close they were. Their legs were pressed flush against each other and the contact was enough to make Gust's skin burn. Maybe he was a bit in over his head. He tore his gaze away from her hand and forced himself to listen to Sam.

“Anyway, I want to play never-have-I-ever,” Sam continued, “and since I’m so gracious, I’ll volunteer to go first.” She raised her glass and brought it to her lips. “Never have I ever faked an orgasm.”

Gust swore he’d died and gone straight to hell. This was not happening. He stared wide-eyed at Sam who looked entirely too proud of herself as she settled back in her seat. For the first time in years, he prayed to the Light. He prayed the ground would open up and swallow him whole because there was no way he was getting through this evening.

“A rather direct hardball right off the bat,” Piper noted as she took a swig of her drink. She hissed and set the glass back on the table. “Good to know we’re playing high stakes and that nothing is sacred. Noted.”

Gust blinked at her. He hadn’t anticipated that kind of reaction from Piper. He was surprised she’d play along with Sam’s shenanigans, especially at her own expense. “Wasn’t that a little personal?” His voice cracked, betraying the fear that swelled in his chest. “And a little vulgar?”

“Welcome to the game. Don’t be such a prude,” Sam said with a huff. She didn’t wait for him to respond before she was waving towards Piper. “Alright, you’re the only one who drank, you get to go next.”

“How generous.” Piper drummed her fingers along the tabletop. She wore a calculated expression as she considered her turn. Something mischievous glint in her eye as a crooked smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Never have I ever had sexー”

“Well, we all know that’s false.”

“ーwhile I was on the job.”

Sam immediately paled as she glanced between her and Remington. Her grip tightened around her glass, so tight Gust feared it might shatter. “That was told to you in confidence.”

Piper shrugged. “So was the story about my fake orgasm,” she narrowed her eyes at Sam and gestured to her drink, “nothing’s safe, so drink up.” Sam took a swig of her drink, but Gust noticed Remington do the same. He caught his eye and Gust arched an eyebrow at him. He offered no answers, just a cheeky wink as he downed the rest of his drink. His heart sank. He was in for a long night.

Gust learned far too much about the people at the table. They went around the table and made their silly declarations. They ranged from relatively tame, mostly his doing, to flat out raunchy, mostly Sam’s doing. Regardless, Gust was getting into it, though that could have had something to do with the steadily growing pile of empty glasses in front of him. His head was swimming and the incessant chatter around them started to sound like it was traveling through water, but he tried to keep a straight face. He didn’t want the others to know he was that invested in their dirty little secrets.

Sam had never slept with a man. Whatever, her loss, it wasn’t as bad as she made it out to be. He’d been with several during his time in Atara. Remington had three piercings, only one of which was visible, but Gust didn’t want to think too much into those implications. It wasn’t until he’d learned Piper had a tattoo that he’d short circuited. It wasn’t so much the fact that she had a tattoo, so much as _where_ she had the tattoo. Her sternum. Apparently, she had a pretty little floral design under the slope of her breasts and that little nugget of knowledge was a little too much for him to handle. He’d stared, well ogled might have been a better word, at her chest. He thought about tracing the design with his finger as he peppered kisses down the slope of her jaw and along her collarbone. He’d ogled so long that Piper had noticed. When she finally caught his eye with a look of mild concern, he realized what had happened and immediately drowned himself in another drink. Not one of his finest moments, but it seemed Piper was merciful enough to keep quiet.

Eventually, the drinks stopped flowing and the group decided to call it a night. Everyone was pretty sloshed, Gust included, but he was far better at hiding it. Piper was a little unsteady on her feet, so he’d taken it upon himself to get her home. He was a gentleman after all. She didn’t argue.

“You know you’re more fun than you let on.” Piper lurched forward and caught herself on one of the wooden pillars outside the Round Table. He frowned at her and stepped forward to help her, but she waved him off. “You should be more fun, more often.” She reached towards him and pressed her fingers into the soft divots of his cheeks. “Turn that frown upside down Mr. Grump Grump.”

Gust rolled his eyes. Wonderful, she was one of _those_ drunks. He tried to look annoyed, but the way she smiled up at him softened his expression. He slipped out from between her fingers and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Let’s get you home,” he said softly, “you’re drunk.”

“No,” she pouted up at him as they made their way down the street, “you’re drunk.”

He didn't want to admit that the pout was kind of endearing, but it _was_ kind of endearing. He tried his hand at looking annoyed again, but it didn’t have the same effect it used to. “Don’t pout,” he said firmly, “you’re not a child.” Piper didn’t respond, instead she chose to bury her face into the crook of his neck. He tried to suppress the shudder that ran the course of his spine, but he was unsuccessful. “What are you doing?” No response, just more nuzzling. 

Gust sighed and tightened his grip around Piper’s waist. “Ya know,” he continued idly, “for someone who spends a lot of time at the Round Table, you’re terrible at holding your liquor.”

“I don’t normally drink.” Her voice was muffled in the collar of his button up. He only hoped her lipstick wasn’t staining the fabric. There would be no explaining that one to Ginger. “But I decided to cut loose and have fun tonight. Granted, I always have fun with you.”

Gust’s heart fluttered in his chest. He wasn’t sure how to respond to that. He had fun with Piper too, but Piper was a fun person. Gust was not. A tenuous silence fell between them as they shuffled down the stone path and towards her workshop. It was a colder spring night, one where the lingering winter frost nipped at your skin and cut deep in your bones. It was almost worse than winter. Piper tried, and failed, to hide her chattering teeth, but it was hard to ignore. That skirt probably did little to keep her warm. He could see the raised goosebumps on her bare legs.

Gust stopped, shrugged off his coat, and draped it over Piper’s shoulders. She gave him a grateful smile, so warm and genuine that it gave Gust the courage to do what he did next. He draped an arm across her shoulders and pulled her tight against his side. If asked, he was only doing it to keep her warm, but a selfish part of himself wanted to smell her cinnamon soap again. Piper melted into his side with a sigh of relief. At least she didn’t seem to catch on to his selfish desires. They continued on, neither saying anything, as if they were both afraid to break the fragile quiet that had settled between them.

He wasn’t surprised to find that he was the one to break the silence. “I’m not very fun.”

“What?”

Gust pressed his lips into a thin line. He had hoped that that would be self explanatory, but he found himself clarifying. “You can have fun with a lot of people,” he said firmly, “but I’m not one of those people. I’m not exactly…” He trailed off. Did he really want to have this conversation, now, when they were both drunk off their asses. Probably not the most ideal time, but he just kept talking. “I’m not exactly the definition of fun. I’m coarse and rude. I’m difficult to deal with. People don’t want to hang out with me and that’s fine.” It wasn’t, but he wouldn’t let her know that.

“You don’t really believe that, do you?”

He did, but he chose to say nothing as he pushed through the front gates of her workshop. “Oh Gust.” Her voice was soft as she placed a hand on his chest. He ignored her as he fumbled with her front door. “Sure, you’re a little prickly at first, but once you get past that you’ve got a lot of hidden depth.” Gust snorted. What a nice way of saying he was mediocre. “I think you’re very funny.” Her hand slipped down his chest and around the curve of his hip. It was a deliberate touch, one Gust had a very hard time ignoring. “And you’re driven by your passion.” Her fingers danced idly along his side, tracing the sharp contours and seemingly counting his ribs. He let out a shuddering breath. 

They stumbled through her front door and into her living room. It was a short walk across the room and to one of her threadbare couches. They collapsed on it, Piper draping herself across his lap like a rag doll. He made no attempt to move her or get up. He stroked her hair up and away from her face.

“You’re also incredibly thoughtful,” she continued with a dreamy sigh, “though you hate admitting it.” She reached up and tapped him on the nose. “But I know you got me that brooch.”

Gust’s breath hitched, his fingers stilling in her hair. “I told you, Albert gave that to me.”

Piper giggled. “I know what you said,” she said with a wide grin, “but when I talked to Albertー”

Gust’s expression hardened. “You did what?”

“ーhe had no idea what I was talking about.” She made a languid sweep of her hand before letting it fall like a dead weight on her chest. “He tried to pretend like he did, but I could tell. So, the only other logical answer is that you were too embarrassed to say it was from you.”

Gust’s heart jumped into his throat. She’d known this whole time and she didn’t call him out on it. There was no point in lying about it. “So what if I did?” He ran his fingers through her hair once more. “How would that make you feel?”

Piper considered this. She traced circles circles in the palm of his hand. He focused on the motion of her finger. It was the only thing that kept him from panicking.

“It wouldn’t change my feelings for you.”

Gust’s heart sank. “Oh.” The disappointment was plain as day in his voice. 

“Because I already like you.” She laced her fingers through his. “Brooch or no brooch.”

The look she gave him said a lot. It was the piece of the puzzle he’d been searching for over the last few weeks. She held onto his hand like it was her life line and the smile on her face made his heart swell. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. Piper did feel the same way. This was the proof he’d been looking for. He could finally do something about it. 

He traced the gentle slope of her jaw with his finger and her eyes fluttered shut. She leaned into his touch with a content hum. He paused. He couldn’t do it now. Not while they were both in this state. He let his hand fall to the side. “I should head home.” He nudged her off his lap. She seemed surprised, but she didn’t argue as she pushed herself up and onto his knees. “You should sleep. I’m sure you have a busy day ahead of you.”

“I always have a busy day ahead of me.” She gave Gust a crooked smile and he returned it softly. 

Against his better judgement he knelt down and pressed a soft kiss to her hairline. His lips barely grazed her skin, so light he hoped she didn’t even feel it, but he heard the slight hitch in her breath as she swallowed a gasp. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with that, he left. He left and as he did, the wheels in his mind were turning as he considered his next move. He had his evidence, now he just needed to set his plan into motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you guys think! Everybody likes a good drinking game, amirite? 
> 
> Also, I'm currently working on another story which focuses on another one of my builders, Isla, and Mint. I think the poor boy needs a little more love in this fandom, so I might be posting it at some point!


	11. Not According to Plan

Gust stood outside Piper’s workshop early the next morning. Piper wasn’t home. It was Saturday and she always went to the Commerce Building on Saturdays to review other builder’s work. It was the perfect time to drop something off in her mailbox without her seeing. Gust clutched the pale blue envelope in his hand. It was thick and he could feel the heart knot shifting within the package as he turned it over in his hands. This was it. He was going to confess to her.

He had the perfect plan. He’d stayed up most of the night figuring out all of the details and the pride of what he’d come up with swelled in his chest. He opened her mailbox and was delighted to notice that she hadn’t checked her mail yet. Perfect. That meant she’d check it when she got back. The pieces were falling into place. He just needed to wait until that evening.

With that finished, he was able to continue on with his day. He had some work to do on one of his projects for A&G, so he decided that would be a good way to spend his time. He took a deep breath. The air smelled like freshly tilled soil. Emily and Sophie must have just started preparing for the year’s harvest. The ground was finally soft enough for it and there was barely any snow left. He whistled softly as he walked, hands in the pockets of his dress slacks. 

He felt good. Today was going to be good.

Gust made steady work on his project. For the first time in weeks, he was able to concentrate on his art. He didn’t sit and dwell. It came as a relief. 

He dragged his pencil across the draft paper with a content hum. He and Albert had branched out and taken a few commissions for people outside of Portia. Things were progressing nicely in their business. They were getting noticed. But as he worked, he realized that his desire to run from Portia wasn’t as dire as it once had been. He finally found a sliver of happiness in this town and it was enough to make him want to stay.

The front door slammed open below, jarring him from his thoughts. Gust’s pencil slipped across the page, ruining his carefully curated design. He glowered at the streak of black across the paper and pinched his brow with a growl. With the end of the silence, came the abrupt end of his good mood.

“A&G is closed, you’ll have to come backー”

“I knew you were hopeless, but I didn’t think you were _this_ hopeless.”

Gust recognized that voice. The heavy footfalls on the stairs made his heart sink as he turned and looked a livid Sam in the eyes. He tried to maintain a passive expression, but when one stared down the embodiment of primal rage it can be kind of hard. 

“What are you talking about?” he snapped.

“A letter, you’re kidding right?” Her eyes narrowed to thin slits.

Gust furrowed his brow at her. He was about to ask what she was talking about when the realization hit him. The letter he’d left in Piper’s mailbox. She must have gotten it. She must have shown it to Sam. But why would she do that? His expression hardened. 

“That matter is between Piper and I. It shouldn’t concern you.”

“You didn’t even have the balls to actually confess. You just made a vague request to have her meet you at sundown? Hours from now?” Sam snorted and crossed her arms. Gust snarled at her, but she continued. “Oh yeah and it concerns me when she comes to the barracks asking what the fuck a heart knot is.” 

Gust went rigid. Piper didn’t know what a heart knot was. He assumed she had. She had lived in Portia for over two years now. How could she not? It was so ingrained in Portia’s culture - everyone knew about it. Apparently he’d misjudged. 

Sam cut through his panicked thoughts and continued, “And even if she did know, how could you do that over a letter? Of all things. Come on pretty boy, I thought you were smarter than that.”

Gust swallowed thickly. This wasn’t good. “I’m assuming you informed her?”

She crossed her arms sternly over her chest. “Uh, yeah, she’s pretty well versed in Portia’s traditions now.” She sounded like a mother scolding a child and Gust didn’t care for that one bit. “And she definitely knows what the heart knot is now, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“And how does she…” Gust stopped himself. Nope. He did not want to hear if Piper returned his affections from _Sam_ , of all people. “Nevermind. I don’t want to know.”

Panic festered in his chest. His carefully constructed plan was beginning to crumble before his very eyes. Sure, putting the heart knot in the letter probably wasn’t the smartest move, but there was a reason he did. He feared he wouldn’t go through with it when the time came. He wanted to confess his feelings, he really did, but a part of him feared her rejection. So, he put it in the letter to avoid his own cowardice. After all, one couldn’t really take back a heart knot once it was given.

He groaned and buried his face in his hands. “Damn it.” He raked his fingers through his hair and tugged just to make sure that he wasn’t having a nightmare. He’d felt so good only a minute earlier. “Maybe I didn’t think this through as well as I thought.”

“Yeah, probably not. You’re kind of a mess.” Gust sighed. He could do without Sam’s judgmental commentary. The tiny voice at the back of his mind was already doing that for him. He was very good at beating himself down. He didn’t need her help. “So, what are you going to do?”

He pushed himself out of his seat and brushed past her. He could wait, but he had the sneaking suspicion that would make things worse. And there was no guarantee she’d show up now that she knew his intentions. He needed to make things right before then. 

“I’ll go talk to her.”

“Smart move.”

↢↢↢↣↣↣

He wasn’t surprised to find Piper at her workbench when he arrived. With the change of the seasons, she moved a lot of her work outside so she could bask in the warmer air. Spring was her favorite season. It reminded her of her first year in Portia, her new beginning. Gust had rolled his eyes at that. Everyone craved a new beginning, but very few actually got one. It was such a cheesy sentiment, but she seemed to be one of the lucky few who found hers.

She sat hunched over in her stool, far too engrossed in her current commission to hear him approach. He hesitated just outside her gate, hand outstretched in front of him. He didn’t have enough time to come up with something to say. How was he supposed to broach the topic? Did he bring up the heart knot? Or did he just throw the plan out the window and confess to her then and there? 

He wrinkled his nose. No. He refused to confess to her while she was sitting at her workbench… surrounded by noisy furnaces and while she was wearing those god awful coveralls. He had a plan. He was sticking to it. But, he had to say something.

With a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and pushed through her gate. Piper still didn’t look up from her work. She loomed over her project, balancing precariously on the front legs of her stool. He couldn’t see what she was working on. For a moment, he just stood there awkwardly, watching her. There was no taking back what he’d done, but the least he could do is own up to his mistakes, of which there were many. He cleared his throat softly.

“Piper.”

She immediately straightened, almost losing her balance completely as she braced herself against the workbench. She whipped around in her seat and her eyes widened just a fraction. She quickly pushed whatever she was working on off to the side. 

“What are you doing here? I mean, nice of you to stop by… um, what can I do for you?” She gave him a tight smile as she angled herself pointedly in front of the workbench, blocking his view. If he wasn’t internally panicking, he might have thought about how strange the reaction was, but he was panicking. So, all he could think about was how much he fucked this up.

“Uh… I wanted to talk to you about the letter I…” He fiddled with the watch on his wrist. “The letter I left in your mailbox this morning. Did you get it?”

Her expression didn’t change. “I did.”

He waited for her to elaborate. She didn’t and his chest tightened as the fear seized his heart. Her lack of reaction couldn’t be a good sign. How could he have messed up this badly. He knew he was a screw up, but this had to be one of his worst mistakes to date. “Uh, I was just wondering if…” He swallowed thickly. “I was wondering if I should expect you this evening or if you’re busy or if you’d rather postpone to… to...” _To never._

“Will you be cooking something for us?”

The rest of his inane ramblings died on his lips as he furrowed his brow at her. “Cooking? You want me toー why would you… I thought,” He shook his head. No. He couldn’t make this worse. Just play along. If she wanted food he would prepare a six course meal for the evening if it meant she’d show up. “I mean, if you want me to make something I can certainly do that.”

Her smile widened to something a little more genuine. “It was a joke, but if you’re offering, I won’t say no. Nightfall, right? At the Church of Light?” He nodded numbly. “Then I’ll see you tonight, now if you’ll excuse me,” she nodded back to her workbench, “I’m kinda on a time crunch for this project.”

A small part of him wanted to fall to his knees and thank her for not outright rejecting him right then and there. But he didn’t. Because he still had some shred of dignity when it came to her. So, he chose to do what she asked. He bid her farewell and made a beeline for her front gate. He left, feeling even more like a coward than he had when he arrived. Even knowing she had the heart knot, he still found himself unable to say anything to her.

Sam was right. He was a mess.

He scrubbed his face with his hands and groaned as he made his way towards the market square to buy ingredients for whatever meal he now had to make for that evening. Because of course she wanted food. And of course he would bend over backwards to make her food. Because he was smitten and she had him wrapped around her finger. This could conceivably be their last meal together. She could stomp on his affections and he’d never be able to look her in the eye again. So, he had to make everything count. There was no chickening out this time. 

By the end of the night, he would tell Piper how he really felt about her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Arrives forever late with more Starbucks* Hey friends - I didn't forget about this. Just in a slump for this story, but I will finish it. I will!


	12. Confessions

Everything was ready. 

He spent the rest of his afternoon cooking and now it lay out on display on a blanket at his feet. He made all of her favorites - curry chicken with rice, bacon fish rolls, and fruit puffs for dessert. Because he was a sap and paid close attention to which meals she always ate more of when they ate together. He might have kept a list. Light, he was pathetic. 

Still, if it meant things would go well this evening, he was willing to show how closely he paid attention to her. His plan this evening would go off without a hitch. All he had to do was wait.

Gust traced the constellations in the sky overhead as he waited on the steps of the Church of Light. They twinkled softly like flickering candlelight. It had him smiling despite the pounding in his chest. Before he left, before his mother passed, she would bring him up here and they’d trace patterns with the stars. Sometimes, when he was feeling particularly sentimental, he took the hike up here by himself and recalled those memories.

“It looks like Acrea’s sword is visible tonight. That was always my favorite constellation when I was growing up.”

Gust started in his seat as Piper took a seat beside him on the steps. He hadn’t heard her come up, too focused on the sky above. She was dressed nicely, in too tight jeans and a silk blouse. She wore the brooch, like always, fastened neatly along the collar. In the dim light of the moon, the jewels glowed nearly as bright as her eyes as she observed the stars.

“You came?” he said breathless.

“What, you thought I wouldn’t? And miss out on your amazing cooking? Perish the thought.” She sounded amused.

He loosed a sigh of relief. “I know you said you would, but I couldn’t be certain… not after…”

“What,” she turned to look at him now, an eyebrow arched curiously, “you thought your little stunt with the heart knot would scare me off?”

Gust’s blood froze in his veins. He forgot how blunt she could be sometimes. She didn’t look angry or disgusted or bitter, but it didn’t ease his nerves. “It was a distinct possibility.” He twirled a loose curl around his finger, the heat rising in his cheeks. Light, he was acting like a blushing school girl. What was wrong with him? 

“Sam made me realize that a letter wasn’t the best course of action.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, Sam shouldn’t have said anything at all.” She settled back on her elbows and stretched her legs out in front of her. Her leg brushed up against his. Where it touched seared his skin. “I told her I’d handle it this evening when we met up, but you know how she can be.”

He tried to keep his voice even and said, “a pain in the ass?”

“I was gonna say overbearing, but to each their own.” She offered him a small smile and he mirrored her expression. By the Light, she was the most gorgeous creature he’d ever seen. He’d do anything to see that smile for the rest of his life. 

“So, I’m waiting.”

He furrowed his brow at her. “W-What?”

“To be wooed, maybe even ravished.” She winked at him, her tongue darting out between her lips to wet them. Gust sucked in a breath through his teeth, eyes falling to her mouth. It was painted red, like the spiced tea she always drank. She sighed dramatically and shifted closer, a breath away from him now. Cinnamon. She always smelled like cinnamon. 

“That is why you asked me to come right? To confess to me?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Gust’s mouth went bone dry. “I mean, uh, I…” He swallowed hard. Coward.

“Are you really going to make me do it first?” She smirked at him. The mischievous glint in her eye stirred something deep in his chest. “I’m practically giving you the stage. You obviously had a plan.” She glanced over at the spread of food he’d laid out before them, then turned back to him. “All you have to do is say it.”

His blood roared around his ears. Say it. Just say it. She already knew what he wanted to say. She just wanted to hear it from him. But the longer he stared at her, stared at her mouth, the more he felt his plan unraveling. Felt himself unraveling. He stared pointedly at those sensuous lips curved into a cheeky grin. His ability to string together words, sentences, paragraphs, it all escaped him.

And so, he said fuck the plan.

He leaned forward and slotted his mouth against hers. He swallowed her gasp of surprise with another heated kiss, then another. She melted against him, matching his fervor with giddy delight. Her fingers slipped up and over his chest until they found purchase in the loose waves at the nape of his neck. She threaded her fingers through his and tugged, hard. A growl rumbled in his chest as he nipped and licked at her lower lip, asking - no - begging for permission.

Her lips parted and his tongue slipped in. She tasted exactly how he imagined. Like the spiced tea she loved so much, but something sweet lingered on his tongue. Something uniquely her and it was intoxicating. He wanted more. To feel more. To taste more.

More, more, more.

But he knew he couldn’t. Not until he said something… anything. He pulled away, just a fraction, and Piper whimpered. She chased after his lips, but he kept himself just out of reach. “I love you,” he said quietly, “I love you so much and I know I’m a coward for not saying it sooner.”

“You aren’t a coward,” she whispered back.

“Oh, but I am.” He pulled away and stared down at her. The red on her lips smeared and he had no doubt they painted his own lips. He found that he didn’t care. He wanted that shade of red to paint every part of him. She smiled at him, hazy amusement simmering in her eyes as she traced his lower lip with her thumb. He took her hand and threaded their fingers together. 

“I know I fucked up. You can say it.”

“Did you?” She arched an eyebrow at him. “Because this is going about as well as I expected it would.” Her smile turned wicked. “Maybe even a little better. Red suits you.”

Gust barked on a laugh. This woman. “How long have you known?”

“That red looks great on you?” He gave her a long look and she laughed. The sound was like a siren’s song, beckoning him closer and he answered its call. He pressed another soft kiss to her lips and she met it with the same tenderness.

“I didn’t know you liked me until Sam told me what a heart knot meant,” she mumbled against her lips.

He pulled away, skeptical. “But Albert said it was obvious.”

She shrugged. “Yeah, to everyone else,” she said, “it seems we’re both a little slow to the game. No offense, you’re a little dense and terrible at picking up hints. But I am too, I guess.” He blinked down at her. She dropped hints? 

“When?”

“Did you really believe Albert when he said I got everyone in town a birthday present? I don’t have time for that.” A frown toyed on Gust’s lips. That slice of apple pie. She really had gone out of her way to get him something. “Granted, that wasn’t the exact moment I realized I had feelings for you. No, it was after I passed out in the mines for the third time while looking for that stupid book. And even then, Sam still had to corner me and point it out.”

“You mean you went searching for Structural Dimension Theory? You didn’t just stumble across it?”

She laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. She lingered tracing the curve of his jaw and he had to suppress the shudder that spider crawled up his spine. “Do I look like my luck is that good?” she said with a tilt of her head, “I searched for that thing for months before I finally found it. I literally ran from the mines to come and give it to you. I have the snake bites on my heels to prove it.”

He snorted and leaned into her touch. “You know, I was perfectly happy being miserable in this town. Why’d you have to ruin that by making me fall for you?”

She shrugged. “I like inconveniencing people as much as I like helping them, I guess. Speaking of… I was in a little but of a time crunch, so ignore the shoddy craftsmanship.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small charm. A heart knot, threaded with blue string. His heart fluttered in his chest. “Blue is your favorite color, right?”

Gust blinked. She had been hiding her workbench from him when he visited this afternoon. Now he knew why. And Light, he really was that dense, wasn’t he? “You were making that this afternoon, weren’t you?”

“Well, how was I supposed to know you were going to confess first? I had to make something to show you I felt the same way.” Gust took the heart knot and ran his thumb over the intricately woven string, smiling to himself. The warmth that flooded his chest was almost too much to bear. For once, he hadn’t messed things up.

“I love you too, in case that wasn’t clear. You are terrible at taking a hint.”

He laughed - an honest, real laugh that made his heart soar. He slipped the heart knot around his wrist, admiring how it looked. He never expected he’d receive this from anyone… least of all Piper, but here he was. And she made it herself, in less than a day, how could he compete. 

“You never slow down, do you?” 

“Think you can keep up?” She teased the collar of his button up, her touch feather light. “I can be a lot to handle.”

“I’ve lasted this long, haven’t I?” He nodded towards the food. “We should eat or it’s going to get cold.”

She hummed thoughtfully and guided his lips back to hers. “Tempting, but I think there’s something else I’d rather do right now.” And she kissed him again. Gust was more than happy to indulge her, to indulge himself. They stayed that way for a while. He settled between her legs, hands falling to her hips as they explored the other’s mouth with their tongues. Her soft sighs fueled the burning heat that pooled in the pit of his stomach.

“I had a plan,” he said as he peppered a few kisses down the curve of her jaw. He left a trail of red stain in his wake, like strokes of paint on a canvas.

“Oh yeah,” she said as she carded her fingers through his hair, “and was this part of that plan?”

Gust melted into the touch. “No,” he rasped, “but I don’t mind these new developments, do you?”

“Not in the slightest,” she said with a shake of her head, “so, what’s the new plan?” Her tongue darted out, tracing the seam of her lips and if it wasn’t the most sinful thing he’d ever seen. “Or would you rather your actions speak for you?”

“I would love nothing more.”

He would be lying if he said he didn’t fantasize about having her writhing beneath him with his name on her lips. They were depraved fantasies that often ended in a cold shower and another bout of self-loathing. But now that he was here, with her, he wanted to take his time and go slow. She deserved to be worshipped and he would make certain that he took care in doing just that. But she made it really hard to hold back. 

“But I don’t want you to mistake my intentions,” he said after a moment, “I want all of you, not just your body. I love every part of you, both inside and out. There’s so much good in you and I find myself struggling to find myself worthy. There are a lot of terrible things about me, but you fell in love with me in spite of all that.” 

Piper continued to play with his hair and he had to resist the urge to purr. “I want all of you,” she said genuinely, “the good, the bad, the ugly. It’s all enticing to me. No one’s without their scars.”

Gust swallowed hard. “I have many.”

“So do I,” she admitted, “physical and emotional, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t worth loving.” Gust buried his face in the crook of her neck, muffling his sigh of relief with another kiss against her freckled skin. “And I love you Gust, scars and all.”

“Ya know, I made a promise to myself that as soon as Ginger found someone to marry, I’d leave Portia and continue my career elsewhere.” The movement of her fingers ceased and he almost whimpered. 

“And now?” Her tone was hard to read.

“Now, I don’t think I can ever leave.” He pulled back and pressed her forehead against hers. “Not while you’re here. Not as long as you want me. And you did say you wanted me.”

“Hmm, I suppose I did. That’s pretty sentimental of you,” Piper said with a breathy laugh, “who are you and what have you done with the real Gust?”

“What can I say, you’ve made me soft,” he scoffed, “I hate it, but here we are.” He curled a finger under her chin and they lost themselves in another heated kiss. He could stay here all night. Kissing her. Touching her. Loving her. It sounded far more enticing than tracing constellations all night. He’d much rather trace the constellation of freckles across her skin. She seemed inclined to do the same.

“You know,” he mumbled against her lips, “ever since I learned about the tattoo, I just can't stop thinking about it.” He brushed his fingers along her ribs, just under the swell of her breast, right along that elusive tattoo. She arched her back up into the touch, a soft moan spilling from her lips.

“Do you want to see it?”

Gust’s cock twitched. “Yes. Light, please.”

She smirked and made quick work undoing her blouse. A primal want stirred in his chest as he aided her in her task and undid the last few buttons in a frenzied haste. She pushed the silk of her shoulders and tossed it off to the side before presenting herself to him.

Gust took in the sight of her. She wore a blue lace trimmed bra that was far too nice to be an accident, but they’d get to that later. He traced the intricate floral tattoo that fanned across her tanned skin. Soft grey vines twined around the underside of her breasts, dotted with small pale pink and yellow flowers. A surprisingly delicate design, but somehow, still very her. He traced the lines with his fingers and she shuddered under the gentle strokes.

Her smile turned feline. “So, is it as beautiful as you thought it would be?”

Gust didn’t deign to respond, and instead leaned forward to press a series of soft kisses to each of the flowers that adorned her skin. Piper nearly purred and let her head fall back against the steps. He took care in worshipping it, but soon found himself far more enticed by the other work of art beneath him. 

Piper was a sight to behold, face flushed and lips parted ever so slightly with a look of sheer adoration of her face. He no doubt mirrored her expression. Her wheat colored hair fanned out around her head like a halo of light. He didn’t normally paint people, but he could see himself filling thousands of canvases with images of her. She was a sight he’d never tire of.

She rolled her lower lip between her teeth and said, “is there anything else you want to see?” That was a dangerous question. Very dangerous, indeed.

“Everything.”

“Right here?” She sighed as he peppered a few kisses along the edge of her bra. “Or shall we go back to my place and admire each other without having to worry about being interrupted? Because I can promise you that I plan on taking my time.”

He buried his face in the valley of her breasts and groaned. This woman would be the death of him. “Is that a promise?” She hummed her assent and he didn’t need to be told twice. He reached for her blouse and handed it back to her. “Then let’s head back to your place. You’re a masterpiece and I’ll admire you in the way you deserve.”

She laughed as she took her blouse from him. “I knew you had a smooth son of a bitch buried in there somewhere.” Gust resisted the urge to laugh. That smooth motherfucker was only with her. He smiled as he turned to gather up their forgotten meal. He wasn’t even mad that it would go untouched. He glanced over at Piper who focused on buttoning her blouse and he smiled to himself. There was something else he’d much rather dine on that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting there - almost near the end - I definitely enjoyed writing this story and I appreciate every one of you that had stuck around to read it! We're also getting to some spice, eventually, when I'm inclined to put all my cards in. Here's a taste for what's to come!


	13. According to Plan *SMUT AT THE END*

Gust had a plan.

He always had a plan, didn’t he? 

Ever since he arrived back in Portia six years ago, he planned on returning to Atara to live out his dream of becoming one of the great architects of the Free Cities. He would leave Portia behind and forget it ever existed. That was the plan. But plans change and they morph and they become unrecognizable. And he realized, after a lot of pondering and wallowing in self-pity, that change isn’t always a bad thing.

Sometimes it meant good things were finally happening in his life. It meant he was finally coming to terms with who he was and that people could like him despite his flaws. It meant he could finally come to love himself, or at least take the steps in the right direction.

Plans changes. But this plan, he was determined to get this one right.

He kept his hands over Piper’s eyes as he led her down the sandy shores of Starlight Island. He forced her to take a day away from the workshop to celebrate their anniversary. Or _the day he finally pulled his head out of his ass_ as Piper and Sam liked to call it. She did so reluctantly and they planned a day away from town with just the two of them. No commission distractions. No talk of projects. Just the two of them, enjoying each other’s company.

“We’re almost there,” he said, “I promise.”

“Good,” Piper said and he could hear the smile in her voice, “because I’m starving and I can smell the bacon fish rolls from here.”

Gust rolled his eyes, but laughed despite himself. “I’m beginning to wonder if you’re only with me because I can cook.”

She hummed thoughtfully. “It did play a big role in my decision to date you.”

“Brat.”

“Grump.”

A smile toyed on his lips. He loved this. He loved her. Everything about it made his heart swell in his chest. He wanted to spend the rest of his life bantering with her. He wanted to make a home and make dreams together. His stomach did a flip flop as they approached his little display on the beach. A heart of roses and candles that created a dull golden glow in the setting sun. It may have been a bit much, but Gust was a romantic at heart. And by god, he was going to do this one right.

Light, he only hoped she felt the same way, otherwise the day was going to go downhill real fast.

“Alright,” he said as he let his hands fall, “you can open your eyes.” 

He immediately fell to his knee behind her and fished a small velvet box from his pocket. He may or may not have had it commissioned shortly after they started dating. And he may or may not have been carrying it with him every day for last month… just in case the perfect moment presented itself.

Piper breathed out a laugh. “This is absolutely wonderful.” She spun on her heel to look at him and faltered. Her jaw went slack as he held up the box to her ー presenting the ring inside. A simple braided gold band with small aquamarine and emerald gemstones. Reminiscent of the brooch he’d given her over two years ago. The one she still wore to this day and currently fastened to the collar of her blouse.

“Gust…”

“So, we both agree I’m pretty terrible at talking about my feelings?” Piper choked on a laugh, tears welling in her eyes. “But, as embarrassing as it is, I rehearsed this and I’m determined to get it right.” 

He took her by the hand. “You were the first person to give me a chance, on so many fronts. You let my imagination run wild with the addition to your workshop, you knocked down my walls, and you didn’t shy away from my brash attitude.” Piper squeezed his hand softly and that’s all the assurance he needed to keep going. “You made Portia a place that I want to call home. Without you, I’d still be a miserable grump who’s dead set on leaving this place behind.”

“To be honest, you’re still a bit of a grump,” she managed with a watery smile.

He laughed. “I am, and you still love me despite it.” He pushed the box a little closer. “So, will you do me the honor of being this grump’s wife?”

“Yes. Of course.” She pulled him up off the ground and into a heated kiss. He pressed himself against her, hoping that would keep his heart from beating straight out of his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around. She giggled against his lips. He couldn’t wait to hear that laugh for the rest of his life. 

“You’re going to become a great designer,” she said as she pulled away, “and I’ll personally construct each and every one of your designs so that everyone knows how talented you are. Your dream is now my dream.”

Gust melted against her. He might have been crying. He wiped at his cheeks and sure enough, they were stained with tears. “You're perfect.” 

“Just kiss me, ya sap.” She snorted and brought him in for another kiss. He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, asking for permission. She parted them and he dipped his tongue into her mouth. He could get drunk on the spicy sweet taste of her. He relished in it.

They sank to the sand Gust laid her flat on her back. He worked to free her of the confines of her blouse, a task he’d become quite adept in over the last year. He peppered a trail of kisses down the exposed column of her throat, then down her clavicle and along the edge of her bra until he reached that beautiful tattoo under the swell of her breasts. It was one of his favorite parts of her body and he took great care in kissing every flower that dotted her freckled skin.

Piper shuddered and combed her fingers through his hair. He purred and leaned into the touch. Her nails raked down the nape of his neck and disappeared under the collar of his shirt. He hoped she’d leave a mark this time. He loved to admire them in the mirror after a night with her.

“What do you want?” He mumbled against her skin.

“I want you.”

He smirked. “You’ll have to be a little more specific, darling.”

“Are you hungry?” 

Gust’s cock twitched in his pants. “Famished. Do you mind if I have dessert first?” Piper hummed her ascent as he moved lower. He left a trail of hot open-mouthed kisses down her navel until he reached the band of her skirt. He teased the edge with his fingers and she squirmed under his touch. “You know I love how sweet you taste.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

He traced the ink of her tattoo lazily and said, “Someone’s being impatient.”

“Someone better start moving if he wants anything in return.” 

Gust groaned and bucked his hips reflexively. “As you wish.” He dragged her skirt down around her ankles and tossed them off to the side. He only stopped for a moment to admire that she bothered to coordinate her undergarments for him. Light blue lace. His favorite. He hooked his fingers through her underwear and dragged those down as well.

The smell of her was intoxicating as he nestled between her legs. He nipped and licked at the soft flesh of her inner thighs and she mewled softly. He skirted around her entrance, teasing and coaxing the soft sighs that made his cock throb. He loved her sounds. She squeezed her thighs around him in a silent command that he was more than happy to oblige. 

He licked a strip down the center of her heat, eliciting a heady moan that egged him to do it again and again until he was attacking her core. She rocked her hips against him and he matched her rhythm. He swirled his tongue around her clit and slipped a finger into her. She threw her head back and cried, so he quickly added another to join the first. He could already feel the telltale signs of her approaching orgasm. The tremble in her thighs. The pulse of her inner walls against his fingers.

The first was always the easiest to coax out of her. But he intended to send her over the edge multiple times this evening.

Her first orgasm hit her hard and fast. She moaned his name again and again until it became her mantra, but he didn’t stop when she slumped back against the sand. No. He continued his ministrations until he had her crashing over the edge a second time. He was about ready to send her over a third time, when her fingers knotted in his hair and dragged him up for air.

The look of pure drunken desire in her eyes was almost enough to send him over, but he held off. She crushed her lips to his and lapped at the remnants of her orgasm that coated his chin. He groaned and rocked his hips against her in earnest. He was now painfully aware of how hard he was.

Piper made quick work of stripping him of his clothes and pushed him back. “My turn.” Her voice crackled and popped like a dying fire and if it wasn’t the sexiest thing Gust had ever heard. She quickly sank between his legs and pressed a few feather-light kisses along his length. His toes curled as she pressed her lips to the head of his cock, then another, then took it in her mouth.

“Fuck.”

She chuckled and plunged down. She worked him deftly, swirling her tongue around his length and matching the rhythm with the motion of her hand right at the base of his cock. He panted and swore he saw stars as she grazed her teeth lightly against the soft skin. His release came before he could warn her. He bucked his hips into her and grunted her name as he came. She took all of it while rubbing soothing circles along the expanse of his thighs.

He let out a shuddering breath as she came back up to kiss him. He could taste himself on her tongue. “I want you inside me,” she muttered against his lips. And Light, did he want that too.

Gust wrapped his arms around her and he flipped her onto her back so she was under him. He gave his length a few languid strokes with his hand as he drew fast and tight circles around her clit. He lined up with her entrance and buried himself inside her. She stretched around him, walls searing against his cock. He brushed his lips against hers, so close they shared one breath, as he set their pace.

They rocked against each other, slow at first, but it quickly turned more desperate. He latched onto the sensitive bit of skin where her neck met her shoulder and Piper whimpered. Her nails dug into his back, raking angry red marks along his shoulder blades. He growled and quickened his pace. He could feel the pulse of her walls ー another orgasm on the horizon. He wasn’t too far behind.

“I love you,” Piper said as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

“Come for me.” It was such a soft request, almost innocent, if he hadn’t been buried inside her to the hilt. One, two, three thrusts and Gust released inside her. She threw her head back and followed him with an orgasm of her own. He worked her through her release until they both collapsed in the sand, chests heaving and coated in a thin layer of sweat and sand.

Gust pulled out and pulled Piper close to her chest. She curled into him and pressed her lips along his the length of his neck. He could get used to a life like this. He could get used to her. It’s what wanted more than anything. “I can’t wait to marry you.” She echoed his sentiments and captured his lip in another passionate kiss. 

For once, everything went according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy oh boy has it been a week. I work for a news station and let me tell you - this week was absolutely awful. So, to make myself feel better, here's an epilogue and some smut. But fear not! I'm not done with Piper and Gust and I'm not done with MTAP. I have a collection of one-shots (deleted scenes from the story - certain scenes from Piper's POV - etc.) which I've already started posting on. So, you can read more about them. 
> 
> I'm also working on some other stories with two other builders. My builder Isla and Mint. And my builder Eden and Oaks. But those are still in the works. :)
> 
> Thank you for reading Gust of the Heart! I'm so proud of it and I can't thank you all enough for joining me on this journey!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for stopping by to read my story. I'm still working on bridging all my scenes together, but I wanted to get this out in the open to maybe hold myself accountable for finishing something for once. Let me know what you guys think. If you want more info on my headcanons or my builder Piper hit me up on tumblr: robingoodfellow94.tumblr.com


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